Holy War
by Voxus Lumith
Summary: The Seven houses met with the King of the Land, and after many debates, an idea began. Now, with the king's backing, The first Mage War can begin. Servants must be summoned, and a young girl, Rin Tohsaka, must assist her father in his servant's summoning. In her help, she brought forth a servant whom she would never forget, and one that would never forget her. (OC/New Servants.)
1. Chapter 1

Her breath made its way around the tree, easily visible in the rising sunlight. Her long brown hair hid itself from the others in the party; no one could know her secret. Her father sent her on this mission and she intended to complete it no matter what. The uniform she wore, a bloodstained set of leathers and breeches, with a soggy set of boots, felt very familiar to her, and hid her figure well. The woman had been stalking this prey for little over a week with her group, and this early morning, she would get the kill while the others slept.

She could hear the creature even now, stalking some prey almost one hundred feet from her. Her heart was racing, but she grit her teeth and began her advance, short sword in hand and hand crossbow at the ready. She cut through the brush and into a large clearing to see the creature gnawing at its kill, a fawn of nearly five months of age. The creature stood up on its haunches, looking similar to a human, and let out a low growl. The front appendages hung down much like claws or hands, and settled themselves back to the ground as the creature kept itself low, ready to pounce at any moment. The opponent held her stance and aim, awaiting its first move, buckler secured to her arm. Several moments which felt like ages pass as the two combatants lock eyes. Deep in the creatures blackened blue eyes, the woman can see a hint of fear, and in the reverse, the creature can see the innocence and frailness in hers.

One lunge begins, while a defense is raised. The creature, baring its teeth and hideous maw, and raising its claws to her; the woman, firing one shot from her crossbow, hitting him in his lung, and lunging with her sword through its gut. In one fell swoop, the creature writhed and buckled in a heap of flesh and hair. It felt as if the time between them lasted a decade, but only happened in mere seconds. The woman retracted her sword, and reloaded her crossbow quickly as she swept around to see it on the ground, still barely breathing. Her heart still racing, she ran over to it, kneeling down and slitting the throat of the animal to ensure the creature was not simply fooling her in its death. A success, she proceeded what she came here to do; retrieve the neck and hide of a wolfling. Wolflings were queer mixes concocted by creation magic of mages looking for somewhat loyal, but savage creatures. Apprentice mages, trying to copy the tales of old, have tried to make these, but have been met with only wild wolflings as their creations. This being one of the last wild wolflings, the victor sighed as she deposited her spoils in a bag, and made her way back to camp. Upon reaching the top of the hill however, she was met with her band looking at her, awe in their eyes.

"You… You slayed the wolfling by yourself," A young soldier said aloud, as the others still stood there with their mouths agape.

"I have slain the wolfling yes. You may do with it as you please," She said, removing her helmet now, "But the Tohsaka's take the remains I have for their own devices. I will be heading back to my abode. You can follow me and protect me and my father might have some reward for you. If not, I will make my way back on my own."

The soldiers stood in awe of the brilliance of the young woman in their attire. She had bright fair skin, and long black-brown hair, flowing almost to the mid of her back. The soldier's uniform hid her form well, but still showed some curves to her frame. She began her trek back to the camp, and from there, back to the city of Melaphest.

The journey took a day of travel, with her and the captain of the group at the head, with her atop his steed. Minimal conversation was had, but soon, upon seeing the rise of the city over a hill, the soldiers began to converse, as well as Tohsaka with the captain. "I thank you for not revealing anything to the others," she said suddenly, as the sun reached its midpoint in the day once they topped the hill only a few miles from the city.

"No need to thank me Miss," He said gruffly, "I am fairly certain that you of all people would have been able to fend off a horde of horny men if it came to it," the man finished with a laugh.

Tohsaka, seemingly hurt or angered by the comment, retorted, "I have you know I am quite the dignified lady. I would not have attempted to harm any of them Ser. You surely jest."

"'Aye milady I do. It was all for a laugh. I do appreciate you coming to me with the request however. You're father… He is quite the fright when he needs to be, but when it comes to you…" the man shudders a moment, "He becomes a demon of sorts."

"It was not for me, I assure you. His leading knight could not attempt the fight, so he had me come in the knight's stead. He had little to no faith in me, and hoped to rid of you and the group if I know him as well as I should."

The comment set the captain back a few steps. "That's right cruel milady," He says with a gulp. "But, I am joyed to see that you succeeded where we had failed countless times."

"I agree. The beast was weak from the archer's assault, but still, it was quite the opponent."

The talk continued between them as they moved ever onward, reaching the city in only two hours passing. The walls pass by as they enter and see a few peasants and merchants around the streets oogling and aweing at the sight of mangled fur and body of the last wild wolfling to be in existence. The parts of the wolfling would go for a high price, but all Tohsaka needed was the hide and neck; the rest would be given to the group for sale or for using for themselves. They reached the square of the city, and bid the lady farewell as a group of knights came to escort her to her destination; The Fiore Estate; or as the children called it, the House Atop the Hill.

The place was a lone mansion of sorts set atop a small rise in the landscape, surrounded by a field of green freshly cut grass and a fence of stone and iron. Black gates met the group as they entered into the estate and made their way up to the house. Out front, the servants, awaited Lady Tohsaka's arrival. All were present, except for one; her father. _Likely in some meeting or discussion._ She thought to herself as she could see the servants lining the stair to the large wooden front door. Masters, the head servant, took a deep bow after helping the lady off of her horse. He took a moment to look her over.

"Lady Tohsaka," He said, taking a breath, "How did you come about this… rancid attire? We must get you out of this at once!"

"I can dress myself Masters. I am no child anymore. Besides, I must see Father as quickly as possible. I have his spoils he so dearly needed," She says as she moves up the steps with Masters beside her squabbling over her attire and haggard look about her.

Lady Tohsaka pressed on through the doors. The warmth of the foyer to the grand hall enveloped her. The smell of home filled her body and began to make her feel like a kid again. She shook it off quickly before making her way to her room. Servants followed her in and sat with her as she dressed and cleaned herself. "Lady Tohsaka!" They exclaim as she kicked off her bloodstained leathers of her hunt into the floor, "Rin. Just call me Rin. I know all of your names and I call you by them. Call me by my name." She said, tired of the 'Lady' business. She might have been the daughter of a prestigious family in the City of Melaphest, but she could only stand it for so long.

"R-Rin… How was it? Going on the hunt?" One asked; a small girl named Olivia.

"What do you mean how was it? The week of tracking the beast? That was a nightmare," She said as she hopped into the bath that fresh water from the spring on the estate. Heated to the perfect temperature, the bath soothed all the aches and pains of the week long trek through the dense forests and made Rin feel as if she were floating atop gentle steam clouds. She continued on about the journey to the girls. "The hiding was the most difficult part. I slept in those leathers every night until yesterday. We lost four men to the wilds and one to the wolfling. The beasts of the forest do not take too kindly to us; and neither do the wood elves," she adds, playing on the girls imaginations. Wood elves were a wives tale of ages past, but still held a solid grasp on young one's minds. The thought of browned men and women with white hair dashing through the forests and protecting the balance of it intrigued children. However, they normally grew out of it quickly upon their first journey through it. Many of these girls had never seen outside the city walls.

"You jest Lady Toh—Rin," Olivia corrects herself, "Wood elves? Surely you simply mean wolves and such. Aside from that, what were the men like? Were they as gruff and tough as what we saw coming in?"

"You would believe so, but in the dead of night, I heard the terrors they thought up and the scared ideas they conversed about. They were more scared of the creature than I was."

"You are a special one though Rin. You have a power that not many others have."

"Oh how I know," Rin said as she exits the bath and dries herself, putting on her house garments; A small straight dress of light blue. "My Father has told me many a time that what I do is not something that many people can or ever learn how to do."

The servants say nothing, until a younger girl, Em as they call her, spoke. "So… What did you bring back on the hunt?"

"The neck of the creature and its hide."

The sound of disgust from the room radiated throughout the mansion, and the girls all exited the room quickly without taking the leathers to be washed. Rin laughed at their quick escape and made her way with the sack of spoils down to her father's study.

"Rin, I see you have returned," Her father says as she enters the study. A man of status since birth, Tokiomi Tohsaka was an imposing looking man. He stood a head or more taller than most men in the city, and boasted the strength to made most of them. He could handle no sword or defend himself with a knife or anything, but his intimidation, demeanor, and look simply stopped most people in their tracks. His magical prowess was something to marvel at as well. The city of Melaphest was known for its ways of magic, but none could top the house of Tohsaka with its advancements in the art known as Gem Magic, or Jewel Magecraft as it is formally called. Concentrating power into gemstones of varying types allows the gems to hold the spell wanted and can be used quickly. It can be used much like a stored spell, but has the ability to be used by nearly anyone as long as they have some form of magical knowledge. With this knowledge in tow, Tokiomi has made it a point to push for gem mining in the surrounding area to the king, as to not exhaust his supply of gems.

Rin bowed quickly and made her way over to the chair in front of his desk, dropping the bag of remains next to the desk. "I see you have succeeded. Well done my child," he says with a deep resounding tone as his teeth begin to escape his lips in a smile. "Now. Do you know why I asked this of you?"

 _You told me before, but the concept of that… it sounded like a joke._ She thought to herself again, keeping in the feelings she had for the reasoning he put forth to her a week ago. "To 'summon a servant for an upcoming battle of mages.' I believe is what you said. But that makes no sense. A battle between mages? We must preserve ourselves. There are only so many who know the ways of magic," she retorts to his question, along with the same reasoning to his charade she gave a week ago.

"Or to see who is the most powerful of us all. In a contest of battle and magic played all around the Earth," Her father said to himself mostly with a bit of laughter. "It is a grand idea. The gods could not have come up with such a cruel and entertaining idea. Making a chalice of legend from magic and giving it the ability to do anything. Such lofty goals, but it worked… it truly worked!" Laughter permeated the room as Rin sat there and watched her father, mad with the concept of this game in his mind. "Now…" He said, now calmed down. "I asked you to obtain this for a spell we need to summon a servant. These spells are made by offering these items, as well as the person to form as the master, to the grail and entering oneself into the game. Once all seven servants are summoned, the game begins. With these, I can now enter into this game and destroy the other mages of the Houses!"

The concept was still a strange one to Rin, but now, she did not care. She felt as if she helped her father accomplish something that could be dire and destructive, but she could not care an ounce. Her father had treated her poorly since her mother had passed, and nothing could redeem the acts he did the days after her death. Her body could never forgive him either. She was still pure, she believed, but inside her, she could feel whatever he did to her change as time went on. Since she was eight, she could feel she had something that others didn't, something that her friends could never have. Her father always told her that she was a gem to her, but she never understood until she learned the ways of magic herself. Inside her body, were multiple gems of varying spells, each one helping protect and keep Rin from harm. It was a strange ritual that he performed, but the spells worked, and never seemed to fade in power when used. Countless times she had tested them; Jumping from high places only to fall and land on her feet with no injury; to hit something like a tree with a small stick to see the truck begin to leak sap because of the force of her attack; and even cutting her finger off to see if it could reattach itself; the magic that courses through her veins was something to be reckoned with. Since her discovery of all of this, and her father finding out about her testing, she had become less of a gem and more of a servant to him. He knew she could not be killed by normal means, and he was more than happy to give her assignments of sorts that could put her in danger, but this game of his, sounded much like something he would have to do, rather than something that Rin could do for him. She could not care less about the fate of her father, and if she were to take over as the head of the Tohsaka family sooner than she expected, then so be it.

"Rin, I have one last assignment for you. After this, you may do as you wish in this estate," He said after mulling his thoughts over.

"Yes father? What else do you need in this scheme of yours?" She replied coldly.

"Study in your books and find me a champion worthy of the Tohsaka name. Someone who will win this game for us and bring us even more power than we already possess. I want a hero of ages past; someone who defied the age and showed everyone that battles were won through their means; someone who would accomplish great feats and acts and had the strength of nations; give me a champion to win in this game."

Rin sat back in her chair, and began thinking on the proposition. Soon however, she sat up and stood from her chair, moving to the door. "I accept. Give me one day father. Your champion will be found and you will have them. Be prepared for it and begin the spell as soon as I am ready." She said as she exited. _After this, I will be a free woman. If my father would die, I would be the head of the name Tohsaka! I could… I could do so much more than him!_ Her mind began to race with all of the possibilities of her future without her father. The joy of that future powered her studies, and helped her find the thing he was looking for. Her father had given her stipulations on the person that could be summoned, and the stipulations were not as farfetched as she had supposed. The person or creature could be fictional, as long as enough people believed in it at one time, and it could even be something from another land if enough information was known about it. However, it must be related to the items used in the spell. A wolfling neck, and its hide. The items of a beast, of a being of the wood and magic altogether, a being made for loyal servitude but has the potential for great power and destructive force. She had to admit, her father had chosen his items well. She came back the next day, papers in hand and put them on her father's desk.

She stood there, waiting for her father to say something, but nothing came, so she began her explanation, and saw that her father, amazingly, was pleased. "Here is your champion father, a creature not of this corporeal world. A man brought up in the woods. A being who's essence is battle and the ability to adapt beyond all reason. I give you, the Wood Elf Archer."


	2. Chapter 2

The night drew long as Rin sat in her bed reading over the scroll presented to her father for the Mage War. It was a strange ordeal indeed. The scroll told of the rules for the war, how long until the war would officially begin, and how the fighting of the servants and mages would happen. Needless to say, there were plenty of holes in the rules and proceedings. She read aloud to wrap her mind around it, just to be sure she had obtained all the information she could from the scroll.

"The Mage War is to be conducted in the month of September. The Summoning Month shall be August, and at any time during the month, the servant may be summoned. The month of summoning will be a training period for the Master and Servant to become more acquainted and prepared for the battles they will eventually fight. August will also be the month that the Journey to the designated City of battle will be made. The city, Melephast, has been designated as the city of battle. The citizens have the ability to assist or impair any battle at their leisure. If they do not wish to witness the acts inside the city, they have the option to leave during the time of August. All damages to houses and property will be funded by the Crown and be reimbursed to the owners of the property. A survey will be done of the city beforehand to insure that no fraud of damage is done. After this, the mages will have an established place of rest. These places of rest must not be disturbed, and cannot be entered by another servant or master unless permitted by the owners. These will be furnished for the period of a month with food, water, and amenities. This will be where the Servants and Masters rest. The rest period is decided by the Servant and Master, and must not exceed 14 hours of a day. The Servant summoned by the master can be any individual in history or of legend, but must be able to be summoned with the required materials designated to your House. Summoning with any other materials will cause the summoning spell to be disrupted and could cause the summoning of a creature most foul or no servant at all. The Servants will be designated into classes. The classes will be chosen at random upon the summoning of the servant. It is not possible to have multiple servants with the same class. The Classes are as follows:

Saber: A knight class. Able to use magic of their own, but mostly focuses on physical attributes and attacking with a weapon such as a sword.

Lancer: A soldier class. Able to use limited magic if need be, but relies heavily on reach and speed of attacks. As the name implies, uses as lance in combat.

Archer: A soldier class. Has little to no magic of their own, but can make use of ranged weapons, as well as close range weapons. Uses swords and long ranged weapons such as bows in combat.

Cleric: A knight/mage class. Able to cast magic and fight with somewhat heavier weaponry than the other physical classes. Magic power is much more than a Saber class servant. Wields a talisman for channeling spells and a mace or hammer for combat.

Caster: A mage class. Able to cast a variety of spells, both offensive, defensive, and supportive. Wields a channeling type of weapon in combat, such as a staff, wand, or the like.

Assassin: A special class. Able to sneak around and cause pain in darkness. This class is quite weak in large area combat, but can outperform almost every class in close quarters combat.

Rider: A special class. Able to summon companions to ride during battle. Different companions give different effects it seems. Wields certain weapons depending on what is summoned or what is ridden."

Rin gave a large sigh. It was quite the large scroll of information to sift through. _How could my father volunteer the city for the battle area, and not ask any parameters on the summoning? I'm glad he got this before he left._ She thought to herself again. Tokiomi was so wrapped up in possibilities of conquest over the other houses; he simply left the meeting once throwing Melephast into the idea for the place of battle. Rin continued to read through the scroll, the rest of the information was about who could participate.

"The participants can be anyone from the Houses that the Head of the House finds adequate to represent the house. As long as they have been inducted into the House in some way, they are qualified for the Mage War. They must complete the Summoning in the required time, and have some way to fight on their own. Aside from this, there are no requirements on the Masters of the servants. The purpose of this War it to see which house is the most deserving of the honor of being the strongest. The strongest shall have anything they desire and be granted by the King."

That was it. The rest of the information was what each houses summoning materials would be. Each was something from their land that had run amok for some time, and could most likely be easily found. The last part of the scroll detailed the ritual of summoning of the servant and the pattern used for the summoning circle. Not much else was given. Rin rolled up the scroll and set it on her bedside table. "What the hell was father thinking?" She said to herself as she sat up and stretched, swinging her legs out of her bed to relieve herself in her bathroom before bed. Her mind was still filled with the idea of Tokiomi summoning the archer she had given to him. It was a perfect strategy. If the summoned servant could be any legendary being or historical being, many Houses will use something from their land or from their history, rather than something from the combined history of the Land. The only thing one must do is think of the legend or being while the summoning is taking place and the servant will be summoned. It seemed all too simple to Rin. Once finished in her bathroom, she sat up for a few more minutes, looking over her notes for the wood elf Archer. It was a mysterious legend, one that was talked about by many young and old, but one that was shrouded in a sense of wonder as well. Some tales talked of ruthless dark skinned human-like creatures that used the bones of animals as bows and their teeth as arrowheads for the arrows, and used their pelts as clothing, camouflage, and weaponry. Another tale said they were a peaceful group, killing the animals they needed to survive, living high atop the trees in glorious houses in the Wyrewood Forests not far from Melephast. These elves were light brown, white haired, and had a gentleness to them. Still another legend told of beautiful creatures that would hollow out the giant trees of the Darkvale and live inside them. They had pure white skin, blond hair, and gorgeous blue eyes. However, their main prey was humans who wandered too far into the vale, skinning them and eating them alive. Every tale was peculiar, and not a definite one could be used for a summoning. If one were used, the others could not be exploited. That is where Rin's idea came into plan.

The spreading of a legend or a fairy tale sounds quite mad and difficult to some, but in the town of Melephast, gossip, as well as ghost stories and legends spread fast. If there were a way to spread a story of a single wood elf, who, miraculously, survived and became a hero for all, and took the best traits of all the other tales, that would be the best choice for a hero for the Tohsaka House. The problem was spreading the tale fast enough. Rin also could not see how this could work out. _This would be like summoning an imaginary creature in a sense. While that is what summoning a fairy tale would be, how could something that people just started hearing about come into being? I understand summoning of magical creatures and animals but… these were, or could have been, people… It's… It's just…_

Rin's mind trailed off as she looked over the idea she had once more, shaking the doubt from her mind. "If this were to fail, we would be out of the Mage War, thus making us neutral and safe from being 'taken out' as father put it. I don't understand that. This makes it sound as if there will be killing involved. None of the mages I have come in contact with use any sort of killing spells of any sort. There is slow poisoning, slow petrification, and even the magic she and her House use, gem magic which can be used for a number of different offensive spells, but none to her knowledge had ever been used to kill anyone. If that were the case, Rin felt as if her father would not be able to survive this war, which made her drive to make him summon this being much more intense. She blew the candle of her nightstand out and snuggled down into bed, her mind racing with thoughts of the upcoming month of summoning, and ways to spread the Wood Elf Archer Legend.

* * *

Tokiomi looked over the notes that Rin had given him. The handwritten notes for the summoning of an imaginary creature she thought would be perfect for the Mage War he would be participating in. It made him sick. Each stroke of a letter looked just like his late wife's handwriting. Every letter, a memory of her soft silken hands writing notes to him, love letters, or just writing her stories she had thought up. He loved those stories, those letters, and those small notes. But this was atrocious to him, a mockery of her style and grace of writing. He crumpled the notes in his fist and stood up forcefully, thinking on the idea presented to him by the daughter who felt like a ghost of his wife to him. The experiments he put her through were half to protect the body he felt could become a passable replacement for his wife, and half to try and kill the spawn that which nearly killed her. The method of his wife's death was a strange one, and one that he blamed Rin for entirely. If it wasn't for her existence, then his wife would still be living. Before her death however, he had made a decision all on his own; something that even the King of the Land had outlawed so long ago when he had come to power.

Necromancy was a strange art. Things could be kept alive far longer with the spells in the necromancy school of magic. Body parts kept moving and working for ages on end, flesh looking refined and new regardless of age, and even soul transference to an item so the body could live on without its soul. But, consciousness was a whole different device to work with in necromancy. The soul of a being could move, but once put in another body, would assume the body's role, and become something entirely different. While the soul would live on, the mind of the person who inhabited the soul would not. Transference of consciousness was something entirely different. Consciousness could take over a body, a soul, and use it to its own ends, but, if the transfer was not complete or if it were interrupted, the inhabited body or soul could be useless or become something else entirely. Tokiomi looked into the necklace around his neck, a brilliant Onyx stone cased in a gold cage of sorts, with a small red insert in the middle of it. This housed his wife, the love of his life. He kept her close at all times, as to ensure her safety. He gripped her tightly in his hand, and began to think. The Mage War, The Summoning, everything was happening for a reason, and that reason, he thought, was to find a way to finally bring his wife back. The body of Rin, who could house her consciousness, could be used to bring her back, but that would destroy his wife if he were to push her mind into Rin while she was still alive. With this Mage War, if she were to take his place in the Master's spot, she could be killed, and then his wife would have a body to inhabit. It could not work out more perfectly if he had thought of it himself.

"This servant," He said to his still clenched fist over the notes, "This shall do fine for her." He smiles and gives a small chuckle. He threw the notes away, blew out his candle, and nestled into bed, dreaming dreams of being reunited with his wife once more.

* * *

All the pieces were coming into place. The War would begin the Summoning Month in only a few days, and nothing looked out of the ordinary. The King looked to his new Right Hand, a man draped in robes and hidden by his clothing. "Are you not pleased? The War is so very close to commencing, I can almost taste it." The king grumbled, licking his lips as pieces of the chicken he was consuming fell from his hand back to his plate.

"I am joyed oh King. I am just preparing for what is to come. Do you know who will be the Masters of this War?" The figure replied in a light male voice.

"I assume the House Heads, but they will not be stupid enough to risk their own lives for the sake of being crowned the strongest in the land; if so, they are more moronic than I had previously thought!" A hearty laugh followed his deep bass tone.

"How many of them have children? Usually, children are much more accustomed to magic and the summoning than adults are."

"Many of them if not all have children. Would children be better for this War?" The king was intrigued. Since the arrival of this mysterious person, he was entranced by his stories. A man from far off, from the Far East is where he proclaimed. He spoke of a tournament of sorts to revival a long lost relic that would grant the wish of the victor. The king, bored of his peaceful kingdom, was immediately intrigued, asking question upon question for how to bring this tournament about. Eventually, details were given, and the King began his preparations for the first Mage War. This was the first Mage War indeed, but not the first Holy Grail War.

"Children are much better at accumulating and giving mana to their servants. It would be best to require them to be a part of it." Said the man with a smile of untold evil.

"I won't require it, but I will suggest it. I will send a message to the houses. It will be done. I cannot wait to see what these mages do to one another! Could you tell me more about the War in your land Sir?"

"Of course Oh King, I will tell you all of the children who slaughtered each other to win the wish they so dearly wanted. I will tell you of the bloodbath that ensued when a servant went mad, and I will tell you of the lives of the masters that were killed during that very War."

The king's smile livened, and the food was set down and finished quickly. He eagerly awaited the story, eyes wide and attentive like a perfect student.

* * *

The walls of the tree sagged and stretched with the breeze, its leaves heard fluttering in it as well. A body in a strange carved out bed sat up and looked around. The room was tall and circular. The 'pod' he was in had many like it around the room. A side table of sorts with a small leafy light and some drawers were to his right, and to his left was a sliding drawer full of clothing of sorts. They were all fashioned with vines, and made of leaves, pelts, hide, and even moss of all things. He gave a stretch and looked around to the other pods. Every one of them were closed, and seemingly empty; all but one. He got up quickly and raced over to the bed, remembering where he was and why he was here. The tan, white haired man looked to the person in the pod, looking at a fair skinned and dark haired maiden draped in a silk gown with leaves protecting her most sensitive areas. She was a beauty to behold, and he could think of nothing he wanted more than to wake her up and just, be, with her. No amount of talking, crying, or shaking the pod would awaken her however. She was locked in the pod, awaiting her 'time' to wake. The Wood Elf named Archer looked to her with sadness in his eyes. The Wood Elves were named for their greatest skills. This one was a master of the bow and the hunt, thus being named Archer. The woman in the pod, the only other pod in the entire trunk of the tree, belonged to a very special elf to Archer. She was named Light. She could do quite a lot, but her greatest skill, was brightening up others, and making them happy. The Light in the Night, as some onlookers would call her, was shortened to simply Light once she came of age to accept her name. She had accepted Archer for what he was, and who he was, and had not ridiculed him like his so called friends had. She was his light, and he did not want to lose that.

A sickness had attacked the Wood Elves. Something akin to a skin rash turned into something far worse. At first it was contained, but suddenly, it spread like wildfire. None were safe except for a select few who were somehow immune to the disease. Archer had been blessed with this resistance, while Light, sadly, was not. He knelt down at the base of her pod, and offered a prayer to their home tree, Garland, to watch over her while he went to hunt. He gathered his things, and set off once he was ready. He and only another man left that day, a man named Trapper, but only one would return.


	3. Chapter 3

The disease was taking everyone over. In Archer's part of the trunk, all but himself, who was now allowed to sleep in the pods, and Light, were all that were left there. Higher up sat the more royal of the Wood Elves, preserving themselves until after the disease subsided or they were taken in their sleep rather than to feel the writhing pain of the disease and let it take them over. Archer was embarking on a venture to satiate the hunger of his tribe, his tree, and his way of life. The Wood Elves used everything from their hunts for themselves. Every last bit of the kill was used in some way. Their main prey of the woods were Dear and the like, but their diet and daily life also requires many things from deeper in the woods. Weeping's Tear, Pillar Tree Sap, Giant Ear… the Wood Elves scavenge through the brush of the deep woods to find all of these plants and items to use for their daily lives. Archer and Trapper, longtime friends and rivals, moved through the brush of the woods with little more than a whisper. Nothing was within their sight except the huge trunks of the Living Trees with which they made their homes. Many were not inhabited, due to the disease, and some had even begun to wilt and harden due to the lack of activity inside them. Trapper spoke first in his whispered voice, still gruff as usual.

"How are the Royals?" He asks as they made their way into the deeper woods.

"You know I cannot go higher than my own level in Garland. We've discussed this before Trapper," Archer darted back in a deep voice.

"So I guess that means they haven't woken up yet have they?"

"Not yet. The disease is still working its way through us all."

"Well, not you and I. And there may be more; others that are resistant to it. Wouldn't you think?" Trapper said nearing a fallen Weeping Tree.

"It might just not know how to attack us effectively."

"Way to look on the bright side. Tracks head this way. Qwart Lake is the only thing this is heading towards."

"Good. We can corner it there. How big do you think it is?"

"Must be fairly large. It's hoof prints are as big as my foot."

"Let's go. We don't need to be out long." With that reply, Archer sped off through the trees, making his way swiftly and quietly to the lake. While not far, the Lake was more of a small pond that enveloped a larger area when the rains came. Dear, Bruss, and Fey creatures even made their way there to partake in the crystal clear fluid that stood there; seeing it as a place of sanctuary, knowing that no creatures large enough to hurt them live in the waters. Upon reaching the outskirts of the pond, they saw it; the Dear they were looking for. A six legged animal that could stand taller than the tallest Elf lowered its head to the water, using its long tongue to suck up the liquid as best it could. Its eyes, a strange cloudy blue darted around, looking all around it. The antlers it sported were a strange kind. Each Dear has a different set of antlers, but they all form in a few distinct ways; War Antlers, made for sparring and attacking to kill prey or fend off enemies, Show Antlers, for finding the best mate, Guard Antlers, for the body or head area of the Dear, and finally, No Antlers, which are usually the prey of the Elves, because even the Dear deem them unworthy. This Dear, sporting an impressive set of blade like antlers, still had not heard them come up. Trapper skulked to one of the sides of it, setting up a loop to grab and hang the creature if he were to walk into it, while Archer readied an arrow, focusing on the Dear with as much attention as needed, while also keeping an eye on Trapper.

While a good friend, and something akin to a rival, Trapper had begun showing signs of infection somehow. Once the disease set in about three weeks ago, Trapper had not shown many signs of infection, but now, it was all too apparent. His voice had grown hoarse and gruffer than usual; his gait had become slower, shorter, and much heavier with each stride. He was slowing down, mentally, physically, and it seemed as if it were not stopping. The disease affected the Elves in many different ways. Some went insane, while others just expired after an extended period of rest, and yet others decayed until they had no organs left for the disease to eat. It was unheard of in their histories, and unknown to all of their scholars. It boggled their minds, and set them on a path of hysteria quickly. Soon, the only surviving members of their tribe were Trapper, Archer, Light, and whatever Royalty was still alive in their pods inside Garland. Now, with Trapper slowly going down the path of death, Archer would soon be nearly the last one awake and alive.

A signal went up from Trapper, a three fingered motion of sorts, with a whip with two fingers, indicating that now they can start their operation. Archer stood up, arrow still at the ready, and moved forward towards the creature, circling to his right, while Trapper came out from behind some brush on his left. They began moving in slowly, until the creature looked up and spotted Archer, and immediately began its charge towards him. Archer let his arrow fly, and it dug deep into the creatures neck, hitting its spine and sending it to the ground, hardly breathing. They rushed the animal, slit its throat, and began their work of skinning it and getting all the parts they needed. It took all of ten minutes to finish the job and they began their trek back, a mere twenty minute hike.

Trapper huffed and puffed as they made their way up the hill, his pack holding most of the meat drenched in some salt to preserve it for now. "Let's, take a breather… Archer," He said, losing his breath with every word. _Today may be the day_ , Archer thought to himself, not wanting to face what he dreaded today to be. Trapper laid himself down next to a sapling, and looked up at the sun while it was shrouded by the leaves of the tall Living Trees.

"There… isn't much time friend, I… I don't think…"

"How long have you had the disease?"

"You knew?" He asked shocked, placing a hand over his brow and eyes. "Of course you knew. You've known me longer than my parents had." He let out a small laugh.

"What is it?"

"Look at us. We might be the last of the Wood Elves; those proud elves that left the High Plains so long ago and shunned the high and mighty lifestyle of our former brethren. 'Darkers' they called us. Those… Those fair skinned bastards know nothing of our ways here. They don't know how it feels here… they just… just…" He coughs, blood coming from his mouth.

"Easy Trapper. Calm yourself. You need your strength if we are to make it back."

"Right right. I'm heading back to Garland with you right? I remember. Let's… let's get going."

Trapper said, as he rubbed his eyes. They were bright red now. As if he was tired from a week long wake cycle. "You… protect Light will you? She's all we have left."

"You are still alive Trapper. We can make it back." Archer said with a stern face. He had been raised to resist pain, resist those feelings in his heart, but now, they were breaking through. Tears began to stream down his face. His last friend that was still breathing was about to expire in front of him. He couldn't take it.

"Not for long Archer. I feel it coming. My eyes, they burn. My body feels heavy and weak. I cannot make it. You have to get back and… check on Light. You must survive. You are stronger than I. You… You can survive this." With that, Trapper went limp. His body moved over to the side, rolling some with the gentle slope, as blood poured out of his mouth, nostrils, and ears. His eyes, one after the other, popped from pressure, and began to bleed out as well. It was a sight Archer could not stand. He stood and turned to a tree, letting a few tears drip down for his friend, but soon, straightened himself up and carried on. His mind urged him onward, keeping him on track and telling him he had to get back as quickly as possible, to check on Light. His friend's death would not be forgotten easily.

Back at Garland, he entered the tree with haste, and moved to his ring of pods to find that nothing had changed. Light's pod was still secure, and his pod was the only one that was still open. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he moved over to her, resting on his knees once he got to the side of the pod. He sat there a moment, looking her over. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as he moved from her head to her feet. Everything was in order; nothing looked infected, and nothing seemed disease ridden.

The day now heavy on his mind, he decided to move to his pod and rest. Garland would defend them from anything that should wander in. He was safe. Light was safe. He needed rest. Trapper's death, while quick, still hurt him deep down. He lay there as the pod closed and the sleep toxins of the tree began to take effect. Memories roared through his mind as he passes out, feeling burdened with the weight of his entire race on his shoulders alone.

* * *

Three weeks had passed, and Rin had spread the legend well; stories to the children, nannies and grands all over town; to merchants and mercenaries with an ear to listen to tall tales told from a young fair maiden's mouth. No one was safe from the tales told from Tohsaka. She was quite proud of herself. She had been told that the legend had caught the eye of many travelers and the tale had spread across the land quickly. It was now only a matter of summoning Archer for the Mage War and winning. Tokiomi had already stated she could take his place and the decree from the King of the Land that went out recently said that the Children of the Houses are encouraged to take their houses place in the War. Rin jumped at the chance. Anything to get herself away from her father was a good thing in her opinion. He would leave the house and she could have it all to herself and pick off the other servants and masters one by one. It would be easy. Soon, it would be time for the summoning to begin. She went down to the chamber where they would hold the ritual; the dining room; and began to make preparations.

* * *

Tokiomi paced the cellar in hysterical delight. Rin's idiotic plans would come falling down on her soon once the war started, and he would have his wife back once again. He clutched the onyx necklace around his neck, and breathed a sigh to steady himself from his hysterics. He still could not believe this was going so well. He had thought he would have to piece together a specimen as perfect as his daughter, but now that she had practically sealed her own demise, all that was left to do was wait and prepare. A high degree of patience, raw magical power, and emotions are needed for necromancy to work. Emotions bring the creature to life the easiest. A mage stricken with boredom would have a hard time bringing to life those that are not. A passionate mage, either through anger, strife, fear, love, or even lust, can bring back someone from the dead with the same liveliness that they left with. However, precautions are in place to prevent this.

A body can be revived easily with necromancy and can retain all of its faculties sustained by magic if the mage can sustain that amount of power needed for up to a year. That amount of power is not possible by a mere mage. That is why there are ways to get around the power output problem. Phylacteries, or vessels that hold the souls of the deceased, are made to allow the power to be diverted to the soul alone, and allow the body to decay. This reduced the power needed by two thirds if not more. After this, supplying the body with enough power to keep itself from decaying can be augmented with any number of different magical styles. Tokiomi, with his gem magic, had a very easy way to produce more than enough power for his daughter, or the host body for his wife, to stay alive even after death. Rubies have a peculiar power to them, as Tokiomi found out when he began dabbling in Gem magic. Rubies, even the size of a period on a page, can double the power of any magic imbued to it.

Tokiomi let out another laugh, unable to contain himself. He had obtained a Ruby, not long ago, that was the size of a human heart. He had already begun pumping all of his power every day into it. Feeding it healing spells and protection spells day after day and hour after hour. Now it, nearly full to capacity, it was only a matter of time before he found the perfect host or, his daughter met her end. He clutched the onyx around his neck tightly, and felt the mind of his wife thank him. He smiled gently, and went back to his pacing; thinking on what to prepare next for his wife's return.

* * *

The carriage that carried the woman and her companion was quite large to say the least. Adorned in deep purples and black, it looked more of a mourning carriage than anything else. The younger woman was fair of skin with midnight black hair and a set of deep purple eyes. The companion was a woman draped in a black straight dress of sorts that ran to her knees, and was supported around the neck, with a red sash tied around her waist. Her face, mostly covered by the stark white hair, displayed a lightly tan complexion and three sets of eyes adorning the normal position and atop her forehead. The eyes, only the bottom set open, displayed a deep red color. The other eyes were hardly visible while they were closed. The woman uncrossed her legs for a moment before putting them back together.

"How much farther Sophia?" The red eyed creature asked in a strange, but sultry tone, "I really need to stretch my legs."

"We'll be there soon Assassin. We'll be in Melephast soon." The woman replied in a light voice. The two seemed mismatched in terms of the way they hold themselves, but they also seemed connected on a deeper level of sorts. Sophia straightened her back and let out a sigh of sorts.

"Why don't you give me a name? Assassin isn't the best thing to be called. It may be my class, but it still sounds so… heinous to me."

"Well I don't know your true name. You won't tell me it."

"Of course not. What do you take me for? If I told you that, well… You need to take me out first." She said with a giggle.

Sohpia's face began to show signs of flush and redness. "Oh stop it you. What would be something you would want to be called?"

"Well let's see…" She held a long finger up to her chin. After a moment or two of pause, she put her hands together with a light clap. "Ana. I think that name sounds nice."

"Ana? If that is what you want so it shall be done."

"Thank you Sophia. It means a lot. So… How much longer?"

Silence followed the question as the carriage rode on, housing the Master and servant of the Kophf, the City of Night; Sophia Delnar and the Servant Assassin.

* * *

"Now where are we to meet?" The woman said as she stood up from her bath. The inn that the pair inhabited was something of a manor. They had two whole rooms to themselves, along with a bathroom. It was a home away from home for them for the time being. The dark haired and dark skinned boy looked to her for but a moment, glancing over her bare body and defining features, trying to figure out just who this Servant of his could be.

"I have been told the town square, near the fountain. Base of the cathedral steps," the boy of sixteen answered. The woman smirked a little, revealing her razor sharp teeth.

"Perfect. It will be the easiest place to strike them if they all actually follow the decree from the King. Are we to follow?" She asked again, as she stepped out of the bath, drying herself and her floor length blue hair. The boy made another glance over quickly to take in her figure once more. He was astounded. When the summoning happened, he did not know what to expect. He wanted an assassin, the quickest and deadliest of servants to his mind, but what he got was a beautiful maiden by the class of rider. She was sinister in ways. Her smile showed her nature well and she seemed fit for his ambitions, his wish, and his wants. She moved over to him, her hair covering her well.

"Master? Are you not going to answer?"

He gasped a moment, and turned away. "We are. If we do not, something could happen to us. I've never participated in this Mage War business before, but I do not want to be on the king's bad side from the start."

"Understood master." She replied, in the same harsh voice as before. It was higher in pitch than most of the women he had known, but felt just as mature and… ravenous so to speak. Not for lust, but for blood.

"Call me Annan. It will be easier than master."

"Oh? Are we on a first name basis so soon?" She asked mockingly as she dressed herself. She was a stunning beauty to look at, with a voice to match, but… she seemed as if she held far more power than what she let on. She had a fragile looking figure, very slim but… she filled out her meager clothing well. Wider hips, a large chest, long muscular legs; she was the whole package for almost any man. Her eyes shown a brilliant clear blue like the waters back at his home, and her lips were full with color like the roses he saw so rarely. Amidst all that however, was her demeanor towards him at times. Sometimes, she would act well within her means, and be a gentle and caring person, other times; she would ridicule him for his actions, and tell him what the best course of action would have been. All through their trip, she would change back and forth. It was as if she would wear a mask to make him happy or entice into doing what she wanted, and if he ever messed up, the monster in her would come out. It was strange.

"No. I was just thinking it would be easier this way. I apologize." He said finally, after watching her dress in her strange clothing. It was a dress by any other name, but it showed off much of her soft white body. It covered her midsection in places, but left the sides open, it banded across her chest and was suspended by two straps on her shoulders, and it hung to about the middle of her thigh. It did not leave much to the imagination. The cream color was slightly see-through as well in places, so no matter what, she would catch eyes wherever she walked.

"Would you like to walk the town master? Oh… I mean, Annan?" She let out a giggle that sounded somewhat wicked.

Walking the town meant scouting and going through alleyways. She was scheming no matter the time of day. Annan sat up, brushed himself off, and walked out the door with her arm in arm, locking the inn door and descending to the foyer and out the door. This is the Master and Servant of House Clearwater; Annan Clearwater and Servant Rider.

* * *

The two figures stood on the balcony looking over the city of Melephast. The King's Quarter, which was rarely used by the one there at the moment, was quite the abode. Atop the highest hill, the King's Quarter was a marvelous display of architecture that was on par, if not better done, than the Fiore Estate only a mile from it. The king scanned the horizon, looking for anything out of place. While the capital of the land, where the king resides, was the largest city in the land, Melephast was a very close second. It was a trading hub for all things, occult, macabre, rich, poor, essential, or special. People from across the land ventured here to sample the wares that funnel through it. It spanned well over fifty square miles that included the houses of the rich and poor, as well as the markets and bazaar.

"Do you like what you see Oh King?" The shadowy advisor moved forward from his corner of darkness on the balcony.

"I do. I cannot wait to see what these mages do to it. It will be a grand scene!" The king replied, as giddy as a young woman who had fallen under a man's charm.

The advisor moved back out of the sun, away from the King. "Of course you'll enjoy it. This was by no means difficult to get you to agree to this. I didn't even need to bind you with any magic to make you agree you buffoon." He whispered to himself.

He moved into the Quarter, glancing at a few things as he made his way to the library. "Now, we must summon the Grail. A book… a book…" He searched the shelves for something that caught his eye; a non-specific book; something that would not be missed. He lifted a small leather bound book from the shelf and looked it over. _The Extensive History of the Origins of the Land_ was the title. He set the book down so the title was face up, spoke a few words into a cupped hand, and brushed the hand over the front of the book. Soon, the title was erased with the motion, and the book began to change its color. From the dark red and brown it had been to a new shiny white and gold patterned Grimoire of sorts. The thick pages of the book turned into gold trimmed thin leaves with different edges and each page was washed of its lettering. Once finished, the advisor thumbed the pages, checking them for blemishes or marks, and then began his duties. As the man that brought the Holy Grail War to the Land, he was somewhat responsible for how the War will proceed, thus, why a record of the participants and their servants is needed. The Grimoire in his hand would do more than just that. It can write itself, record whatever the man deemed fit, and could also reveal much about the participants once enough information was given to it; a great device that, if fallen into able hands, could spell disaster for the other participants in the War. "My my…" the advisor said as they wrote the final words on the first page, "It is done. It will be happening soon. The Holy Grail War. My how long it has been. I wonder what the Grail has chosen for me this time," the figure said as it began lifting its hood. It moved its hands down its body from the tip of its head to its waist. The hair was white and long, to about the middle of its back, curling around in small spirals at the end. The body was slender and curvy, with brilliant snow white skin that had no blemishes. The figure moved over to a mirror in the room, and gazed at itself. A flawless white face stared back, with long eyelashes and brilliant blood red eyes. "The Grail has given me a female form again? Strange. That is three times in a row. Regardless, it does not matter. One more week, and the War will commence, and I will gather the prana from these little wells of energy and make the Grail whole once more," She said, letting out a content sigh. "However, I do need a name for this form… Hmmm," a few moments pass before a name is decided upon; Leysritt, a name that sounded all too familiar to the advisor.

She moved out to the balcony once more, to introduce herself formally to the king. He turned around, eyes expecting his hooded advisor, but was met with a stunning beauty in a robe. He was awestruck. "Hello Oh King. I am your advisor for this Mage War, Leysritt. The chalice that the servants and masters hope to wish upon has changed me into this form. I am the Keeper, and shall watch over this War alongside you. Now, let us prepare. We have little time before the combatants arrive." She says as she makes her way to the edge of the balcony.

The king is dumbfounded and at a loss of words, eventually, taking the scene in, he reacts. "I… I understand. Let us… let us prepare Leysritt. What do we need to do?"

"First, we must fortify this city. We must craft a spell to ensure no magic or individuals can escape this space once the War begins. I will need your assistance King. You must help in my incantations and preparations." Leysritt said, scanning the horizon as the king once did, but this time, in much better form than him. She could sense all of the magic in the place; mages all over, some with servants, and others without; many people leaving the city for safety, while others being doomed to die once the war began. Tragic, and altogether brilliant. The more prana for the Grail, the stronger it shall become. Once the spell to encase the town is completed, the War will commence. In one week, the War will begin.

* * *

She followed the instructions to the letter. Each symbol was in the correct place, and the circles were as perfect as she could make them. It all seemed so intricate and scattered at the same time. A mismatched set of circles, each representing the contract of the servant she would summon. All she needed to do was concentrate on the legend she spun of the last surviving Wood Elf, and summon him to this world. It will work. It had to work.

Rin breathed in deeply, and then exhaled slowly. She could feel her father just waiting for her to mess up somehow, damaging herself or messing the summoning up. She will show him what she can do. He will know the power of his daughter and he will never try to do what he did again.

She began; the words flew out of her mouth and rolled off her tongue as if they were meant to.

"Audiens deum veteres milites proelio dimicaret discordibus innumerabilium optati potentia. Cito proferte stolam fabularum pugnator fortissimus virtutis Fortis est velle meum. Bello vincere possumus impleri tenentem optamus apponat nocere nobis."

The words were of a language she did not understand, but with each syllabus, and each phrase, she felt power well up through her. It felt as if something was being born from her body by her magical power alone. The circle below her began to pulse with the magic she had pushed into it, and before her, a swirl of red and white began forming into a figure of sorts. The sound was overpowering, but Rin held her ground while the energies began to settle.

* * *

Somehow, the disease had attached itself to Garland. Archer had known that the royals above him and Light were long gone either by their own hands, the disease, or each other. He had held on to some form of hope that Light would make a recovery in some way, but once he saw the Heart of Garland begin to decay, he knew everything was lost. He looked over to Light one last time as he scrambled around, trying to save what he could so he could survive outside, to find that her eyes were open, her hands pushing at the shell of her pod. He rushed to her, hoping to get her out in time before the tree collapsed.

He yelled her name as he tried to open the pod for her, but to no avail. Light's soft white palms pushed as hard as she could on the shell but could not budge it. Soon, she realized that she would be lost to the world. She accepted it well, but still shed tears. She looked to Archer, his eyes welling up as he used all of his strength to try and force the shell open. She smiled to him, to try and reassure him that everything will be fine, even though she had only despair to think of for the young man she found so fond. She blew air onto the shell, causing it to fog momentarily, and began to write. Archer stopped, and read, while the tree collapsed around him:

"Archer. Be safe. Be strong. Carry on. Be brave. I will see you again."

With that, the tree split in two, pulling Light in her pod away from Archer. He reached for her, but knew he could do nothing. He cursed the disease. He cursed Garland. He cursed the world he lived in. He made his way out of Garland, walking far enough away to watch the massive tree come falling down on his side. He moved to the edge of the forest, and gazed at the plains before him, and he began to think about his life, and how the disease attacked so quickly. It was strange. It had all happened so fast. In less than a week of initial contact, half of the population of Archer's group had been decimated in various ways. The medicine man of the group could not understand it, and the shaman had no idea how to combat it. It was like, no matter what, this was their destiny to die by this virus or disease; all but one. Archer was the last that he knew of that survived it. The trees around him, now withering and dying, were the final victims of the disease it seemed. He still felt as healthy as the day the disease attacked them. It was strange, off putting, and not fair in the slightest. He hung his head low for what felt like an entire day, resting for the first time since the tree began to collapse. When he awoke, he was surrounded by darkness. Nothing felt as it should. The grass below his feet he could not feel, the trees that surrounded him were as cold as winter stones, and the sounds, were nothing familiar in the slightest. He felt something, something pushing him, against his chest. It felt strong and warm, unlike the cold he felt around him. He moved with it. He had nothing else to do. He felt warmth curl around him, and envelop him in a way. After that, he felt a pressure push down on him, as if trying to fit him through something. Soon he was on a knee, and trying to push back on the force. And then, it was all over. The warmth dissipated to the warmth of midday, and the cold below him was in fact stones. He looked up, adjusting his eyes somewhat to the new light, and found a girl, who looked remarkably like someone he had just lost, staring back at him. _Light_ was all that came to his mind. She was smaller than her in stature, but she looked just the same; a mirror image if anything. She had white skin instead of the normal brown of his people, and her hair was black. She was beautiful in every sense of the word. But still, the only thing Archer could think of was the woman he had lost to the disease.

"Are you… Archer?" The girl said, unsure of herself. Her eyes searched him, and he could see a small amount of fear in her. She was scared of something. Was it him?

The being looked much like what she imagined; muscular, tall, white hair, and bronzed skin. It was strange. She had made him. She had created a being without magic; with the power of words alone. Maybe she had created more, much more, but right now, all she cared about was the figure before her. He wore brown hide and furs of some animal, and sheets of leaves and vines for 'armor,' but strung across his back was his namesake. It was made of some strange looking bone, or antler of some kind. It had a blade for a guard across where his hand would sit, and around where the string was, two blades of some sort were at the ready, extending out from the curve of the bow. It was off-putting to say the least but elegant in some sense. Rin found it amazing. At his side was a small knife of the same make, and arrows in a quiver were across his back as well. Shaking her daze, she spoke again, "Are you Archer? The… the one I summoned?"

He looked around, searching the area, and nodded. "I am Archer, but I do not know what you mean by summoned."

"Strange. It said you would know all about this war we are putting on... once the summon was completed that is," Rin replied, feeling a bit more confident.

"War? I was summoned during a time of war?" the words fell out of his mouth, but the dialect was unfamiliar to him.

"My you speak well. I am surprised." Now she was intrigued.

Over the next several minutes, Archer was educated on as much as Rin knew. Soon, he grew to accept it as the power that he felt not long ago began to feed him a kind of information about everything. Somehow, he was gaining the knowledge that Rin was telling him as quickly as she could feed it to him and then some. He understood the rules set forth, and he felt attached to the woman before him; afraid of anything that could or would befall her. The connection was not just from that power. He felt as if this person, this Rin, before him, was someone much alike Light. Someone who he needed to protect, to ensure that nothing ill befall her. It was a strange feeling. He felt whole again somehow. What he had left behind, that hateful world full of hurt and pain; this one felt as if he were welcome, and needed to be here. For the first time in months, he felt warm; truly warm inside. He closed his eyes a moment, and felt the light of the world wash over him. This was where he was needed now.

"I will do as you wish My Lady." He said suddenly, as Rin was still talking of the rules of engagement in this war.

"Well, I should hope so. I need you if we are to win. There is no way I can do this alone," She said bluntly, feeling the same 'closeness' to Archer. It was a strange feeling, she had to admit, but it felt right, and it felt as if she had a guardian angel of sorts always close by. It was a welcome feeling to her, after feeling so distant and cold from her father; the only family she had left as far as she knew.

They conversed for a few minutes longer, but eventually fell silent, unable to think of things to ask or words to say.

"What must we do now?" Archer asked finally, breaking the silence.

"I suppose… we train." Rin replied, as she held out her hand. "The War begins in one week; here, in this city. We must do all we can to prepare. We have to learn how to work together effectively and efficiently. Do you know any kind of magic? Or, for that matter, are you up to the task of being my servant?"

Archer took her hand, and gave her a gentle smile as he looked down upon her. "I am with you My Lady. I will do all I can to win this war with you."

Thus began the week of training for the two of them. This is the Champion of House Tohsaka, Rin Tohsaka, and the Servant Archer.


	4. Chapter 4

Al'ana Ya'hrl rode with her mightiest steed she could take from her father to the city of Melephast. She arrived not long after the king, with five slaves of her own in tow. Approaching the gates to the city, she moved slowly until she was within twenty yards of them. The guards, unsure of who she was, called to her. "State your business here! We are under orders to be sealing off the city soon. Within a week it will be sealed off for the first Holy War Tournament."

Silence was the only reply. Soon the guards asked again as she moved closer. "State your business… Ma'am! We need to know if you can enter here or not. Most merchants are forbidden inside at the time!"

Silent still, she moved forward, now almost ten feet from them. They looked her up and down. The plains people, the ruling family of Ya'hrl mostly with some other families tied in, were a strong looking folk. Even their women would be considered more muscular than most fighters. This woman, looked very slender, but tall and graceful, like the description of an elf in fairy tales. She wore paint on her face in a strange design, but it did not cover the majority of her face. Lines of red and black go from left to right across her face under her eyes, and over her nose, as well as a single point of blue on the middle of her chin, and yellow dotting her forehead. Her outfit was made of skins and hide, with bones on her hips in a way of a holster for her weapons, one a thin sword with a slight curve to it; the other, a whip with a bladed magnet on the end of it. The bone had the reciprocal polarity stuffed at the bottom of it, making it easier to sheath. She covered herself as a warrior would. She wore a hide breastplate, hide bracers and greaves, fur moccasins, and shorts of some kind which looked to be more leather than just simply hide. Her hair was a long deep brown, reaching almost to her knees, and her eyes were a golden honey color, with deep parts of brown ale coloring. She looked up at the two men finally, speaking in a thick accent akin to her people. Her voice was a deep alto, and seemed to cut with each word, reverberating through the ears of the guards. "I am Al'ana. I have come to win this tournament you speak of. My father has bid it. I shall complete the task he has told me."

Soon, she and her slaves were inside, and she went to the town square, searching for someone, anyone, that looked mage like. Her father had captured a travelling mage when she had been only four. She learned quickly, and with relative ease. Soon, she had taken the principles he had taught her and began teaching herself. Her own spells came to fruition, and her own rituals became true. It was a phenomenal feat to behold, but a terrible one to befall upon you. The girl, now and then, was a brutal mage of the likes no one had ever seen. She was a practitioner of her own kind of magic; one that had been lost ages ago, but now she had resurrected to a degree; Flesh or Blood Magic was her specialty.

Merchants packing up the last of their things and people preparing to move away for the war to begin watched as she made her way, slowly and surely to the fountain. No one stopped her. She dismounted her steed, and turned to one of her slaves, who had a small bag with him. She outstretched her hand, as if waiting for something to appear in it. Sure enough, he placed something gently in her hand, and went back to his position. She moved towards the large area in front of the fountain, now vacant of people. Everyone was watching, stupefied. They continued conversation and packing, but none took much notice. She began etching something into the ground; a circle of some sorts. It was a fairly large circle, one big enough to fit a man inside. She finished the outer circle and tossed the used piece of whatever it was aside and held out her hand for more. The slave ran to her and tripped, causing the bag to spill onto the stonework in front of her. Teeth of all kinds were in a small pile by her foot, awaiting their fate. The slave looked up, murmured something, and flashed a face of fear. Al'ana withdrew her whip, and readied it. " _Thulan attun menach. Groba, attun deata anno,"_ She said, cracking the whip, and then bringing it down on him, several times. Soon, there was blood everywhere, and what was left of a man now lay bloodied and cut apart in the middle of the circle.

The uproar happened soon after that. The townspeople fled; all manner of merchants took no time to gather as much as they could and immediately depart. Within the hour, the only people left in that area of the city were those who had not heard or seen the spectacle, or those that were to sick or crippled to leave, or ones that had nowhere else to go, as well as the mages and servants themselves.

Al'ana took her whip and wrung it out, letting the old and new blood drip from it, and scattered it around her circle, and began to pick the teeth up and keep etching. "Soon, it will be complete." She said, a smile appearing across her face. "My servant will be summoned, and I will win this war of magic with savagery and might." Laughter escaped her lips as she moved slowly around her circle, etching her way around it with runes and symbols. Her slaves merely watched, and waited for commands, hoping to not end up like their brother-in-chains.

* * *

"What is Melephast like? Have you been there?" The small boy said as the carriage topped the last hill on the way to the city in question.

"Nay young master, I have not. I have not been anywhere in this world except your estate and the places we have gone together." The voice was a deep baritone that shook the carriage slightly with each harsh syllable. The two in the carriage, a boy of the age of hardly thirteen, and a giant of a man adorned in a suit of light iron that looked far stronger than it should, had sat in silence for much of the ride, mostly due to the younger one sleeping most of the ride, the bumps putting him to sleep. Ignus Champion sat with his head gazing out the window of the carriage, looking at the various animals scurrying by and the few trees still visible. "How much farther do you think Saber?" He broke the short silence once more.

The giant man gave a heavy sigh, and looked out his window as well. "It looks to be little over an hour away. We will be there soon young master."

"Why do you call me that?"

"Sir?"

"Young master. I know I am young, and inexperienced, but I summoned you. That proves something right?" He said, sitting back in his seat, making his case.

"That is quite the feat. I haven't been summoned for the War in quite some time. You did a grand job of the summon. I will give you that," He gave a fatherly chuckle. "You are right. You have proven yourself a bit. I am sorry, master." A smile shown across his face in genuine happiness, and Ignus could see it as well.

"Thank you! I knew I could do it. Once father said now was the time I had to prove myself, I knew that I could summon someone powerful for this war thing."

"And you did. You are more adept at magic than your father I have seen. Why is that?"

Ignus gave a small pause, searching his mind for the right words to use without offending his father, sitting outside next to the driver. "Well, Father trained his body more than mind. He could be a great mage, if he were to study. He… can't hold his attention on that very well. It isn't as hard as how he makes it out to be."

"That's very observant of you. Why do you think your father would do well as a mage?" The large man asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well, he is very smart. He is a master tactician, and can manipulate the battlefield as if it were clay in his hands. To be honest, it is quite amazing from where I see it. However, I know it is different when you are actually on the battlefield. I think his mind is sharp enough for it, but maybe his… diligence isn't made for it."

 _The boy can see it. That's good._ Saber thought, looking the boy over. He looked frail to say the least, but he was just tall and lean. If he stood, he would be a few inches short of five and a half feet tall, and had features that deemed him noble by their standards; golden hair, light skin, and blue eyes. For the time and the royalty, he looked every bit the part of a spoiled child, however, he seemed as if he was not the favored child in the lot, and had found his father figure to be more of an idol, rather than a real father. Still, he has tried.

"Your father, I fear, would never become a mage of your caliber in his lifetime. You should take pride in that. Magic here is quite powerful, especially how you use it master. Your way is of words and motions, while the others I have seen have been about rituals and castings that take longer than a day even. If magic is as powerful as you say it is master, I do not see many standing against us."

The rest of the carriage ride was of tales of Saber's past, more information about the surrounding area and the Champion bloodline and histories from Ignus. Time flew faster than the wind, and soon, they were at the foot of the city gate. Once confirming who they were, the gate began to open for them, and they made their way into the city. The remaining people greeted the Master and Servant; the Master of the House Champion and the Servant Saber, with cheers and smiles.

* * *

The mountain of a horse made its way through the snowy midsection of the Mountain Senec, carrying its cargo of two people as best it could. The man, a well build native of the mountain tugged at the reins to direct the horse down the mountain the easiest way, with the figure behind him, its arms wrapped tightly around his chest and abdomen.

The sound of hooves on rocks behind them roared around, seemingly growing closer as they made their way down. "You holding alright?" The man said over the clamor of noise. He felt a head nod behind him, denoting that the figure was fine. "Good. We're almost to the base of the mountain, then, we'll be heading to Melephast. We're gonna win this thing!"

Arrows landed close to them, hitting patches of snow and jutting rocks alike. Even a few spears made their way around the huge horse and its riders. Back and forth through the covered trail, the horse made its way down the mountain, widening the gap between it and the riders. Soon, the yells began, what the main rider of the large horse feared.

"We have to get down somewhere safe. They are trying to cause the snow to fall on us," He said more to himself then to his partner. Moving as swiftly as he could maneuver the creature around, he made their way around a large rock, and ducked under it, pushing the horse against the rock and dismounting himself and helping his companion down. The yells and screams rang out, sounding more and more like sharp cries from the mountain eagles that roam the skies. Soon, it began; the shaking, the roaring, and the hasty advance of the snow from higher up, raining down and rushing through the trail of the mountain. The rock they hid behind held. The snow's advance stopped after what felt like an entire hour. After it halted, no hooves were heard, and no cries were sounded again.

The man laid himself on the small patch of grass that somehow took hold underneath the rock, stretching himself out and heaving a large sigh. "I can't believe they would even think of that. Now the trail back will be even more treacherous. What were they thinking? The traders won't be able to make their way up to the village anymore," He said with a slight angry tone.

The figure beside him moved slowly from its large coat of furs and coats atop it, sliding some of it down so its face could take a breath of the crisp mountain air. From the folds of fur and fabric, a milk chocolate colored face poked its way through, their red eyes darting around hurriedly and their white hair sleeking back, staying under the protection and warmth of the shield of coat and blankets. The dark complexion of the girl's body was a startling contrast to her white hair, but, they complimented each other well. She shivered a little and looked to her companion with a harsh stare. "I knew I should have stayed…" she gave a heavy sigh, "Why'd you just take me away after summoning me too?! It was warm there!" Her voice began to get louder, until a hand from her partner clasped over her mouth.

"You don't want another avalanche do you? I'd rather make it to Melephast than stay there and 'survive the war,' that is going to go on. Melephast is where the other masters and servants are going to be. If we stay here, we'll be disqualified or something. Father didn't exactly approve of you either." Her friend said, slowly removing his hand from her mouth.

"Why? I am just a woman. I look quite a lot like you. Except the white hair of course… and my eyes. What's so wrong about how I look?" She said with a pout.

"You look much like a legend passed down through our family. He was terrified honestly. Probably would have had you killed."

Silence was the only thing that met his words of his father, along with a blank stare from his partner. It was the truth, of course. The legend spoke of a red eyed woman who would either bring destruction or salvation to the Yunda Family. Reinalt Yunda, the son of the ruling family in these mountains, went against his father's wishes, and summoned a servant for the war. The father would have taken place, but, he thought it wiser to stay in his fortress of a mountain, and wait out the game that the King had put forth for the families. His son however, saw that this was a coward's stance, and took the spot of his father.

"Well, I'll prove to him and your entire family that I have what it takes to win this war," She said with a smile, "It'll be easy."

"I'm glad you're feeling confident," He said patting the horse, "Let's see how he can get us there in time. It'll be hard going, but he should be able to survive it."

"Oh he will. Don't you worry," She said with a smirk. "Once we get to the bottom of this mountain where it's a bit warmer, I'll show you what I can do."

And so they went. The path was treacherous with the snow now, but, it was still midday by the time they touched down into a patch of dead grass and saw a small hill of green. The breeze from below the mountain hit them gently, and brought with it the heat of the air in the plains and hills. The woman shrugged the coat and blanket off of her, and laid them behind her on the horse. She wore a long dress of black and blue, with a cloak and hood of red around her neck. The young man she called a companion was stealing glances at her as she began to tie up her long hair into a bun of sorts, with four metal sticks holding it in place, with one long strand of her bangs hanging down to the left side of her face. She then hopped off the stead, and spun, striking a triumphant pose.

"Master, sit and watch. You are about to witness something incredible!"

He looked to her as he settled down by a rock. "What are you going to show me? You know I can cast magic of my own sort as well right?"

"Oh I know. I could feel you ready some spells as we were escaping. But don't you worry. What I have here, is much more than just simple attacks of ice and snow, or whatever you had ready." She said with a playful smirk.

Put off, her master sat and waiting as she went to work. She began slowly, lifting her hand outwards to the giant of a horse, who proceeded to stare at her. She moved slowly, every step looking as if it were a dance, her mouth speaking in whispers that could hardly be heard. Her hand met the horse's nose, and ran itself up the middle of it, through its mane, down its back, and removing itself just before the root of the tail. She then began to circle it, dragging her foot a little to make a 'circle' of sorts. Once circling the horse once, she goes back to its head, and speaks something directly to it, and faces her palm to the sky, and lowers her arm once more.

Nothing is noticeably different to the young master about his horse. He stood up after she finished, and walked over to him. "Well. He is still a horse," He gave her a chuckle and smile.

"Of course he is," She said with a slight pout, "But, he will us to this Melephast place much quicker than what he could before."

"I believe you," He said, lifting her up back onto the horse, "Now, let's get going so we can get somewhere to pitch camp or to a village to rest. We've got quite the walk ahead of us."

He got atop the horse as well, and with a slight nudge with the heels of his boot, and a light slap of the reigns, the horse was off. In the span of a single minute, the horse had made it to the midpoint of the long road between Mt. Senec and Melephast; the village of Alum. His servant dismounted first, stretched, and looked back at her master, a stunned expression on his face with his mouth agape. "Now do you believe my power master?" She said with a smile.

The two settled down at the inn in Alum to rest for the day and learn more about each other. The Master of the Yunda family, Reinalt Yunda, and the Servant Caster will arrive tomorrow in Melephast.

* * *

The horses numbered in the hundreds behind a duo at the head of the group. With a gauntlet held high, a metal figure with another close behind him made their way to the city gates. The man dismounted his black steed, and removed his helmet. He was a handsome man, with ear length jet black hair and golden eyes that looked as if he had seen more loss than the entire army behind him. The figure that rode with him dismounted her steed as well, but hers was a peculiar horse indeed. A horse that had no color about him; whiter than freshly fallen snow, with black eyes the color of night robe beside the black steed. Once the rider dismounted, they removed their helmet as well. The rider was a woman, with long black hair as straight as can be. She had a slender build and armor to accentuate that. On her back, a large spear with a strange looking blade on the end was out and displayed for all to see. The entire weapon was nearly twice her length and the blade was as large as her torso. If it were not for her red eyes and her silent demeanor, she would not look as imposing as her figure displayed.

A guard stopped the two at the gate, terrified as to why the Horse March would come to Melephast in full force. "Halt. State your business sir."

The man replied back in a commanding voice, "I am Fumio Shin, of House Shin. I am here to participate in the Holy War that was decreed by the king."

"That's all well and good sir, but the March cannot accompany you in. It is just for a Master and Servant only."

"My servant is with me here. Lancer, come." He said, and the woman came forth with a gentle bow.

"I am Lancer, Shin's Servant. I will represent him in the war." She said with a monotone that was strict and direct.

"The March will stay outside and wait for my victory. The king my use them as he sees fit." Shin replied as he made his way for the gates the guards were quickly raising. Once they made their way in, they made their way to closest inn. As soon as they entered, and made it to a room, the armor was stripped off quickly. The two became intertwined without a second thought or word from each other.

"Lancer I can't stand it. Why must we participate in this war? You've been with me for so long… I can't lose—," He was cut short by a deep kiss.

"Hush Shin. I want these moments to last. This War will last as long as a breath to us," She said, leaning closer to him, their bare skin intertwining.

It began; the quiet love in the hollow inn, just before a war that would be waged for pleasure by one, and survival by the other combatants. None of that mattered between them. The warmth and love shared between them was all they could focus on through the deadly silence of the inn.

Lancer lay in the bed, her arm stretched across her lover, tracing shapes into his chest with her finger. Shin lay on his back, one arm around his Servant, and the other behind his head.

"What do you think of all this Lancer?" He asked, with a small smile, "What do you think of this war? This… War of mages and people of legend?"

She sat up on one arm, her long straight hair covering most of her chest. "I find the act… terrifying. That your king would want this for pleasure and not some test of greatness. However," She leaned over to him, and kissed his forehead, "Without this war, I would not have met you. So, I find it to be a blessing as well."

He moved closer to her, but was stopped by her hand to his chest. "We must rest. We have but one week here and then it will be time. We must win, or somehow last as long as we can. I love you Shin. I will do all I can to insure I stay here with you."

Shin enveloped her with his arms, squeezing his body against hers in an embrace that felt as if it could last forever and protect them from all harm. Soon, they would be battling to keep their love alive. This is the Master for House Shin, Fumio Shin, and his Servant, Lancer.

* * *

"My god," She said as quietly as she could, as she saw him jump from tree to tree with a speed unknown to her, and the grace of a bird gliding on the wind. It was amazing. Rin couldn't believe what she was seeing. Archer looked as if he flew from branch to branch, bow and arrow ready for the enemy that Rin had patrolling the area. He was as silent as the wind, and ready to strike at any moment.

The enemy, a Ruby Doll, a construct made by Rin herself, stalked through the forested area around Melephast, one goal in its mind; Find Archer, and attack. Even with its heightened senses and knowledge of his movements, the golem could not locate even the faintest trace of him being in a location. The dance between the two had gone on for almost fifteen minutes, and the golem was getting none closer to finding its supposed prey.

"Archer, shatter the ruby on its forehead. That will disable it," She said softly, hoping that their link as Master and Servant would give them some way to communicate quietly. Sure enough, after a few second, the golem swiftly turned, faced upwards, and was hit with a loud crack as an arrow hit its mark directly on the head of the creature. The ruby shattered, and the golem fell to the floor in a crumple of rocks and sand. Archer then descended slowly down the trees, his movements just as quiet and swift. Soon he was in front of Rin, and gave her a slight bow.

"I trust this performance is well enough for you, my master?" he said with a slight smile.

Rin moved forward, sticking her finger into his chest. "Don't act so… so…" she stammered. He was right. It seemed as if her 'training' was far below the skills that Archer had. He was incredible, far more incredible than anything in her stories. What had she done? Had she created a being out of nothing that surpassed even her imagination? Had she made something so powerful that even the creator did not expect it? There were too many questions, and so little time to actually get to know the thing—the person—she had made. She grew quiet after her stammering, and began to reflect slightly.

"Archer, is there something… else that you would rather do? Is there any training or… anything you want to do before the war starts?"

Without even so much as a breath between them, he answered. "Tell me about yourself. What this war is, and why we are fighting. I will follow you to the end of this war, and we will survive. But, I want to know why you are doing this, if that is alright."

Rin thought a moment, being somewhat taken aback by the question. Truly, what is this war, and what would she get out of it for winning? The king's description did not say much other than they would fight to see who the strongest house was. Aside from that, the document said that the King would give the winner whatever they wanted… But Rin couldn't truly think of anything. Aside from that part of the question, why did Archer want to know about her?! What was he getting at?

"Well… The war is so we can see who the strongest House of Magic is. I've been declared the Master of the House of Tohsaka, which is the house I was born under. My father is the only other member really. We had more people but…" She trailed off, then cleared her throat. "Anyway. I'm doing this so that… so that… I can be independent of my father. I don't want to be under his thumb anymore." She said the first thing that came to mind. Was that what she truly wanted? Was that all? Just to be free from her father?

"And what about you? I still know only your name and a few other details," Archer replied, setting his bow to his back.

"Ah, Yes. Myself. Umm… Well I am… hmmm." She couldn't find much to say about herself. She could say what magic she knew, how old she was, what her childhood was like, what she envisioned to be her future… but what could tell Archer the most about her?

"I have been a privileged woman since birth, and the color of my eyes were the first in my family in almost four generations. Needless to say, everyone though I was quite a special child. My magical aptitude began to flourish at a young age. I was about eight years old once I began learning magic, and at eight and a half I cast my first spell. Since then, I have been learning much quicker than anyone thought possible, and as such, I have no need for formal schooling like other children here. I am young for a master, but I believe that I can hold my own in this war." She said, somewhat boastfully.

Archer gave a small smile and breathed a sigh that felt like a small weight was lifted from his shoulders. "Glad to know I am in some capable hands," He gave another small bow, "Whatever you wish to do next, I am fine with, but, I can show you what I can do by fighting something with some threat as well. Do not think me ill equipped to handle something deadly to my or you. I am here to protect you, and fight against others of great power. I have ways to fight back that no one has seen before."

With that, Rin let a small smile creep across her face. This war would be something no one in the lifetimes of history could ever comprehend, and it would be something that ages past would talk about for millennia; and she would be a part of it, and a possible winner. With Archer by her side, she felt as if she could do anything. And she was ready to do just that.

* * *

All at once, the Servants and Masters that were travelling still arrived the next day. They settled into their own areas designated around the city, and began to train in their own right. None bothered one another, from what could be seen, but some were taking note of the sounds, the energies, and the various flow of Mana through the city. There was something peculiar that all the Masters and Servants could see, and that was that there was a Servant missing. This strange energy from a lone Master was filling the city far faster than anything that the combined power of the Mages could ever think of. It was terrifying to witness, and even more terrifying to think of what Servant could be summoned from this. No one knew which Servants were summoned, and no one had a true idea of what it could be. All that they could see was that this Servant would be the most powerful in the War, and would possibly be unable to be contained by its lone Master.

* * *

Archer made his way with Rin close in tow into the wilderness. He could feel something close that might have been stalking them since they entered the densely packed forest, but he could not tell what the creature might be. He slowed his pace to let Rin catch up. She was being as quiet as she could, and was doing well. Archer was truly surprised. It seemed she had some training in stealth, hunting, and even a little of tracking as well. She was becoming more and more like someone he found so fond before he came here. He couldn't place it, but she was forming into the perfect person that he could think of to protect and be beside in any situation. Hunting, fighting, sparring, talking, walking, kissing…

He was caught off guard, almost. The bear leapt from a densely packed pile of brush and tried to swipe his with his massive paw. He narrowly avoided the attack, and ducked Rin down just in time as well. The bear bounded down the hardly beaten path and turned to face them. "Now, I will show you what I can do. Rin, keep yourself safe, there is nothing within three miles that will harm you here besides him. Keep low and watch yourself. I will take this beast down." Archer said, before leaping towards him, bow at the ready.

The fight was something to behold. Archer seemed to move through trees as if they were a part of his body. Each small attack looked like an annoyance to the bear, but Rin could tell the creature was succumbing to the constant attacks. He seemed to disappear in the middle of the trees, and the bear even lost track of him. Soon, Rin could sense him, close to the ground, in the brush, wielding a set of swords of sorts, one of chiseled rock, and another of crafted wood. With the swiftness of light and with the breeze of the wind, he passed without a trace, but left a collapsing bear in his wake. He sliced through the bear's stomach, as if passing underneath him, and cut him from end to end. The bear let out a terrifying roar, and collapsed on its side; its innards pouring out of it. Archer soon appeared beside her, his weapons clean of blood, hair, or any sign of wear. "I can do far more, but surprisingly, this foe was of little danger to us. He is perhaps the biggest creature within this wood, and has cause many smaller creatures to go elsewhere. Soon the smaller ones will be back in full force, and this wood will thrive again."

Rin was, yet again, astounded. What had she created? What had her legend spawned? Was her legend mutating? Changing even now? Rin could not guess, but she knew that this Servant was something of a miracle, rather than some legend she made. "We can return if you wish Rin. I will show you the rest of my skills once the War begins. Until then, I will hone my skills with you by my side if you wish, and I would like to learn more of this world, if you will allow."

Rin merely nodded, unfocused on his questions and thinking only of what she might have done. Archer led her out of the wood and back to her home. The day was mostly over once they arrived, so they began to settle down for the evening. This was the end of the first day of the last week of August. Six days until the start of the First Mage War in Melephast.


	5. Chapter 5

The fire flickered and flared as it consumed the log inside it. The house filled with a pleasant and earthy smell of dry elm and birch as the smoke rose through the chimney. Tokiomi sat to the side of it, bathing in its warmth and light as he clutched his wife's soul in the gem at his neck. He could feel her growing weaker. The life force he pushed into the gem to keep her soul alive was a perfect stone, but it was leaking, somehow. He didn't understand. He studied the gem to the point that he had made formulas for each side of the figure, taking in how dense it is, how much magic could be forced into it, along with a soul. He had done everything he could to keep this gem from breaking, from cracking, from anything, but now, it was seeping life force and magic, and maybe even the soul of his wife.

It infuriated him. He stood slowly, gripping the sides of his chair and rising as his anger did the same. "What is it? What is it that I did wrong!? What is it that I did so wrong to deserve this!? I Just want my wife back!" He growled through grit teeth. First his daughter completed the summons of that… thing she may have made, and now, his wife may be truly dying. He had to make a new vessel, or create something to store the life of his wife in. The large heart ruby was not yet ready in the slightest. At least a week or two more was needed for it to be complete, and then it would need a vessel as well. Something would work. It wouldn't gain anything from having a life put in it, it would simply gain life; as simple as that. The soul and life force would simply imbue the vessel with a way to move, and interact once more as long as he put the proper limitations on the soul. He ran the magical happenings in his mind, the conflict of pushing a human soul into a vessel, either it be animal-like, machine, objects, or anything, the hardest matter was also making sure the soul survives the process. Moving a soul can strip it of many things. Even the fact that Tokiomi could move the soul from his wife's body nearly fully intact was a marvel to him. Many different ailments could happen to the soul. The worst is of course stripping it of the humanity it has, making the soul more akin to an animal than a person. It was a constant fear in his heart, but one he had to bear with the love he held for his wife. He would do anything to ensure she came back, and this was simply another step and another risk he needed to take. First a suitable vessel would need to be made, or found. He would set to work today, and find one; no cost was too great.

* * *

The man was an odd sort. Short and pudgy, but seemingly stronger than others of his age; he wore the age of the building he was in on himself as well. His face showed wear unlike those of the district, and he displayed it with honor, like a veteran of some unknown war. Tanned by the sun, his skin glistened with the work he had put in that day. Balding, gruff, and with a shut eye, closed with a long scar on his face, he was quite the imposing individual. He stood quickly once the two made their way inside, and small pleasantries were exchanged.

"Good noontime misses. What might you be in the Lone Drake for today? A small bite or a place to rest perhaps?" He spoke with an air about him of dealing with the impoverished, but also with the harshness of any innkeeper. It carried a law that had its own weight within the walls.

The two women gingerly stepped farther inward, the light skinned woman spoke first, giving a small curtsy to the man. "A good day to you too sir. We are merely looking around at the moment. We are here on… on…" The words escaped her. Her eyes darted to and fro, searching for the word she needed.

The other woman placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "…on business. We're here on business. We are searching for a place that we can settle for a time. We've been told that the Lone Drake would give us more than adequate amenities for our needs and wants. Is this true sir?"

"Whoever you've been talking to, they know my inn well. It is most certainly madam," He replied, giving a small smile to the compliment. "However, with the recent changes to the city, I cannot guarantee your safety here. The king has ordered some kind of… game for his amusement to take place here. Powerful magics are going to be happening here. I suggest you stay elsewhere, outside of the city."

"Oh that sounds dreadful," the dark haired woman said soon after, raising a hand to her chin.

 _That decree was sent out to all of the surrounding cities and towns. Traders from all over even got the news and turned around. Why would she be wanting to stay here? Has she not heard who would be participating_? The man thought to himself, as he watched the two's movements. The light skinned woman seemed nervous, anxious, and somewhat on edge. However, the lightly tanned woman to her right with her white hair seemed to be staring into him the same way he was to her partner. _There is more to these two._

"Truly… why are you here miss? I have no qualms with the law, nor am I a man to let a helpless child go hungry on the streets, but… you are not here for food or to escape something tragic it seems. Tell me… why are you here?"

There was a long silence that permeated the room soon after his final word fell to the two. It felt heavy on them all, but seemed to affect the dark haired woman more than the others. A soft nudge in the side from the white haired woman made her shoot up, attentive once more.

His face scrunched in, his mind going to the only thing that he could think they could be there for; just like others that have come in 'seeking shelter.' His voice boomed through the silence, slicing it into pieces. "If you're here to take advantage of an old man tending to his inn on his own, you have another thing coming. I don't want any trouble, and I'll be staying here to ensure this inn doesn't have any befall it either. Now, are you all here for something other than chatter and a bed, or did you come to try and pull the wool over my eyes like a few others?"

The dark haired woman flinched at the booming voice, and stepped back a few steps. "W-W-W-We're sorry to have disturbed you! W-W-We'll be l-l-leaving now!" She turned and began to reach for the door. The other woman's hand grasped hers. "Sophia! Calm down! Gods! I thought this was going to be easy for you but…" She gave a heavy sigh before turning to the innkeeper once more, "We're sorry for bothering you sir. We truly aren't here to cause mischief. We're here to take this inn as our base. It's a wonderful place and one that has a very advantageous spot amidst the entire city. We are some of the mages you spoke of that will be participating in the war. It is said in the rules that the base of many of the mages will be protected to a degree by a magical field, and no fights may take place within the area…"

"Anna! Don't tell him about all that!" Sophia said, reaching for her arm and gripping it tight. "What if he—," She halts, thanks to the pained noises of Anna, her partners nails digging into her arm.

"Ouch! Stop Sophia! What's he gonna do with that info? Just tell everyone and keep people indebted to the mages that are participating? Hope he shacks up with someone who'll win? He said he's staying here anyway! It might help him out!"

Watching the two bicker, he couldn't believe his eyes. He had seen the mage family of his city, Master Tokiomi actually had come into his inn to commemorate its grand opening, and spoke as a gentleman who from his speech and demeanor alone, had a stake in the inn's future. He seemed powerful, and well to do if anything else. It terrified the innkeeper. The mage seemed too sure of himself, and seemed to have an unnatural air about him, as if something hung over him, or was reaching from the ground below to take him away. The innkeeper had always thought him to be a devil in disguise, or a man that did more than just the gem magic he spoke and demonstrated. These women on the other hand however, seemed, a joy to be around, and someone that had so little ill will in their body that they would hardly hurt anyone. He could not truly find what it was about them, this innocence, but he trusted it. Without a doubt.

"Ladies. You have my inn to use as your own. If you still want my inn as your base, then you are welcome to it. You'll have meals every day and night and a place to rest your head. You may choose to protect it as you wish, but I will do all I can to protect it as well. I hope you enjoy your stay at the Lone Drake Inn!" He gives a small bow and a smile to hopefully sway them back into his inn.

The two women stop their squabble and look back, and with smiles wide across their faces, and a few scatches and bite marks between them, they give a bow as well, "Of course!" They say in unison. "Thank you sir!"

They began the negotiations as soon as possible, what little there was.

"So how long do you plan to stay here ladies?" He said as they settled into the table close by with him.

"I suppose until we either win this war or are beat out of it. Does that sound alright with you Mr…?" Anna hangs the question out to him. "I'm sorry. I don't suppose you want us to call you Mr. Inkeeper the entire time we stay here do you?"

"Paul Bracken's the name Miss Anna. You may both call me what you wish. First name is fine by me."

The group began their negotiations, and was soon finished, and the talk changed to what magic Sophia and Anna were capable of, and what food they would be expecting to be served tonight and through the days.

* * *

The gargantuan man known only as Saber looked around atop the balcony of the King's Estate. The King himself was downstairs, clearing the dining room table of its food, while his young master was taking a nap from the travel. He was surveying, and understanding the layout of this strange city. The large section of 'noble' housing estates, the streets of middle class, and the poor housing sections seemed nearly void of people. The Market showed no better, it's streets now only holding empty stalls and a few left-behind merchants looking to strike a deal with someone still needing to leave the city. The graveyard that lay within a small forest of sorts at the edge of town loomed in the setting sun, growing in darkness and stillness.

"This place. It feels as if a great evil… lives within it. Is it a servant of this war? Or could it be something of this world?" He spoke to himself, waiting for his mind to respond. However, a voice answered him.

"It could be much more than that Saber," Leysritt said, as she came forth in her dark cloak. She was a beautiful woman, with blood red eyes and white skin that looked untouched by the sun. "The evil could be here through the servants or the mages as well. Only time and the true intentions of them all will tell. This war will show what they truly are," A smile crept across her face.

"What is it?"

"Where do your allegiances fall? Are you truly here just for your master, or is there something else you are here for?" She said, walking closer to him.

"I answered the call to have a wish granted. I will protect my master at all costs and will follow his orders." He replies, turning back to look across the land once more.

"Even if that costs you your life? Would you fall down on your sword for your master's life?"

A silence stood between them deeper than the voices of the dead. The wind did not dare drift between them, nor any sound penetrate the barrier that held them to one another. The silence was deathly, until it was broken by another.

"Leysritt! We only have a few more days until the war starts! Is there anything else we need to do to prepare?" The king broke through their locked conversation.

She turned, with hate in her eyes, and looked at the king. He caught none of her malice, but felt that his presence was disturbing the two. Saber turned as well, and looked to the king, a question on his lips. "Prepare? What are you all to do to this place?"

The king began to speak, but was silenced by Leysritt. "We cannot divulge that information, unless you wish to be voided from the war," She said with another smile. "I will bid you farewell for now. Take in your surrounds as best you can. You have little time until it is time for the war to begin."

And with that, Leysritt walked off with the king close behind, speaking even more on what the war was to be and anything there was that he could do to make it what it needs to be. Saber questioned what this war truly was, and began to ponder as the sun set, and until his master's woke and called for him.

* * *

The square was empty, except for the woman still etching something into the ground around the fountain. The intricacies and design of it were something only she understood and that anyone looking at would be disturbed and frightened by. She continued to scribble away, making small swirls and jagged spikes and tendrils from the central shapes and spires.

"We have got to leave," Annan said quietly, trying to keep his head out of the window, "Did you see what she did to that man… her own slave?! Who the hell is she?"

They had scoured the town the past few days, and knew every nook and cranny of the City. Rider had found every fountain, ever dribbling water pipe, and every source of water she could find, and then made her own. A few spells here and there, and poof, a stone itself could just remain wet for over a month, or a drain could leak water and keep a puddle alive, or even an old well in the graveyard could be given life again, so to speak. Her methods were strange, and her way of casting was stranger still, but, she swore to him that with these in place, she would be near unstoppable, and if something could stop her, she would be able to escape it and fight another day.

He had to believe her. She was all he had now. He vowed to his father to win the War that he was to participate in, and after some discussion, he was granted the chance. Now, he felt as if he made a terrible mistake. He was confident in his abilities to fight, that much was certain, but he only knew a few spells that would do anything against another. Water spells was all he truly knew, but he had dabbled in a few other areas against his father's wishes. Water transmutation was one, so he could use water to make other things like tools and even iron, and rapid heating, which could superheat it and cause it to evaporate or even burn people. He has harnessed some strange spells that could alter his own water spells, but the easiest, and perhaps deadliest was something that he thought was not possible. Controlling water came naturally to his family, but blood on the other hand, was something they would not be able to move or craft things from it. Annan, one day, decided to try and move the blood from a squirrel out of its body. He concentrated, feeling the flow, thinking of the swift heart beats of the small animal, and suddenly, the sound of a small explosion came to his ears. Before him, atop the branch he saw the creature on before, was spatterings of blood, bile, and animal parts.

"Snap out of it Annan. You're fine. We're fine," Rider said, tugging on his arm, "If you are so terrified of this woman, we'll leave. We can find another place to call our base. Come. We'll go elsewhere."

She pulled him into the bathroom and shut the door slowly; inside, a sink, a bathtub, and another window looking out onto the square below. "Why did we come in here Rider? There's nothing we can use in here."

"Have faith you little whelp, I have a few tricks in me that will save us from 'that terrifying woman.' Turn on that water, and sit in it."

"What?"

"Are you going to listen or are you going to blubber like a drowning child?"

Annan quickly turned the faucet on, letting the water fill the basin and felt the cold and eventual warmth of the water seep into him. Rider began her ritual that he had seen a few times before, moving her body in a fluid and repeating motion, as he thought it, as ocean waves on the high seas, crashing into itself or into the shore, each hard movement of her hips transfixing him into a trance of sorts. Soon, the water was reaching the cut off height, and Annan was drifting farther and farther into her trance. He fell into the water, and soon, passed out.

"A simple sleep spell elongated into a dance, and you are knocked out," She said with a sigh, "My my, you have a lot to learn my little master." A quick snap of her fingers, and his body began to melt and become one with the water in the tub. Rider soon got into the tub as well, and, with a few words of a race of people long past or from legend, the water began to evaporate quickly, with her along with it. A cloud of gas moved around the room and out the window to get a bird's eye view of the pattern below and onwards to their destination.

Annan came to on the cold and wet earth, with a brook or stream next to him. He shot up, realizing he had passed out, and took his surroundings in quickly. Everything felt damp, and the small stream next to him was flowing quite quickly, splashing about on the cobblestone housing for the stream. He could hardly see, thanks to how deep he felt he might be in this cave or tunnel, but he could feel the wall next to him, the same cobblestone as the stream housing. He moved along it, following the source of the water, or what he hoped was the source. Soon, his hands felt flesh instead. He jumped back as the flesh writhed a little, and let out a small shriek.

"Annan! Watch where you're grabbing! You…" The voice was Rider, no doubt, but one that seemed scared and taken aback with his forwardness. Was this something she enjoyed? The unexpected?

"What? Rider?" He spoke back, hesitantly.

She cleared her throat a little, and continued, "You idiot," The more powerful and mature voice came then, sealing off that timid display quickly, "You have your bearings I hope? We are far from that woman. We're safe here. And we were there, but… if you are still frightened of her, we can make this our base if you wish. It's nigh impossible to penetrate."

He looked around once more, the darkness till quite deep. "Is this… the river under the city?" He had heard stories of how they harnessed the river for their waterworks and fountains, but he had no idea it was a real underground river. He thought it had a source from a forest close by or the like. The water was fresh and clean, and tasted delicious; It was almost good enough to pass as a full meal even if enough was drank.

"If someone would travel down the waterways, they could find us," Annan said, his eyes now adjusting to the surrounding dim light.

"That will not be a problem. A few illusions at the mouth of this tunnel, a few traps here and there, and maybe even some extra tunnels to throw intruders off, we'll have a nest to call our own," Rider's voice seemed to flow with the river, another trance almost coming over Annan. She let out a laugh that echoed in the larger pooled area of the underground river, and continued there; stepping on the water and walking over it like solid ground.

"Ah yes, it feels so good to be back in my element. It might be a simple stream, but," Her voice began to change, as did her figure. A deeper, guttural tone began to fill the space, and the figure before Annan swelled and changed. Rider's legs elongated and fused together, making a long tail and body much like a snake. The morphing went all the way up to her stomach, and the scaling from her back crept up to her shoulders. Her arms changed, ending now in claws and scales, and her face, now with slit pupils and an elongated tongue that forked somewhat down the middle. The scaling crept up to her neck, and somewhat around her face. She looked over to Annan, and gave him a very menacing smile.

"Look at your servant Annan, and speak. Tell me that we will not win this war. I am a beast ready for war, and a creature capable of destroying armies." She slithered through the water and over to where Annan now sat, dumbfounded and terrified. He had heard stories of sea serpents and creatures of the deep that even his father and his grandfather had only heard tales of, and before him now, a creature only heard of in legend stood before him as his servant, his ally in a war of magic.

"We… we have everything we need to win. I am sure of it," He said, his mind enraptured by the power he just witnessed, and the being before him that had scared him so much as a child.

* * *

The inn just inside the city was a well put together, single room, family run, trustworthy, 'hole in the ground,' as some would put it. It was not run down or needing repairs by any means, but many would rather stay somewhere with a bit more room. In the single room, two beds were put together to form one large bed stuffed into the corner, while a small dresser, wardrobe, and desk were crammed into the room as well. A door in the corner leads to a bathroom with a large bathtub, and sink with a full length mirror. There are three meals served every day, if you are there for them, and the price is not bad either.

"We should probably leave, you know? What if the owners come back?"

Reinalt rolled his eyes to the woman walking back and forth within the room. Caster had been pacing the floor since they set foot inside the home. They asked the guards once they gained clearance to the city where the closest inn was, and this was it. The Calm was a place that many from around the city, and the Lands in general, had heard much about. It was homey, and small, which made it a perfect place to stay while away. The owners as well were wonderful people from the sound of the stories. This however, was not a time for the soldiers talk of pleasant places.

"We saw the last of the people who want to leave… leave. There's no one else here, and the survey of the city has already been taken. So… we are good to stay here." He said with a grin as he lay on the feathery soft bed. Caster looked at him with frustration.

"They may not be coming back but we should at least tell them that we are using their place. Shouldn't we?" She said as she peaked out of the doorway into the main area of the small home-inn. The table and kitchen were beautifully done, as well as very clean. The kitchen and living area were connected, making it the biggest room in the house. Towards the back, a pantry and cold closet area were designated with a door and a sign. Aside from that however, there was not much else to the little home.

"I'll go ask the guards if they can send word that their house is in good hands with one of the family mages. Would that make you feel better?" Reinalt said, getting up from the bed.

Caster turned with a small bit of tears in her eyes, "Yes. It would actually. Thank you Master."

"Reinalt, or Rein is fine. You don't have to call me that. It sounds strange," he said with a laugh.

"Okay. While you are gone, I'll start preparing food for us! I'm starving!"

Reinalt waved his hand to her in confirmation, and left, taking his time as he walked to the entrance to find a guard. Their situation was a strange one. Ever since before her summoning in fact, everything had been strange with this war. It didn't seem… as something that the King of the Land would do. It just seemed as if there was something else waiting in the shadows to strike. His father might have known that, which is why he wanted to stay away from this city, but still, the point still stood with Reinalt. He played the scene over in his mind before her summoning, remembering every fact he through at his father, and his defense that followed each.

"So we are going to sit atop our mountain and wait out the war and be humiliated as the only family who did not participate? What are we? Nomads? We have traders come from the capital, giving us wares and items we need and we sell them the same that they need. We rely on them as much as they rely on us. While this may be some passing fancy of the King, it is not something we should ignore. Do you think the Army of the Land, and the March, could not take us down on this mountain? We have nowhere to go but down. We are a sitting target." He told his father as they sat in his chambers, discussing what to do about the summoning.

"Son, do you not understand what I am saying? This is suicide. If I go, even with a servant that the others have not selected, who would I bring? Who could win this war? It is a war of magic and strength. We have our mountain fighters, and our bowmen, but the Ya'harl is to be there. His entire tribe is something to be feared. While he may be civil in our meetings, he is a blood thirsty monster on the battlefield. He knows magic still, but even magic cannot combat his strength and resilience." He spoke with a commanding tone, half for his son to step down and calm himself, while the other was to convince himself as well.

"So we are cowards now? A group of mountain workers, hermits, and nomads who hate the greater society and the lower men and women who strive to survive just like us? Who pride themselves in different ways? Do you know where our furs and clothes come from? We skin goats and mountain cats here, but they give us our underclothes with their hides and furs. We are not self-sufficient up here. We need everyone down there. If we defy the crown, we defy the lands and submit ourselves to their judgment."

"Reinalt!" His father interjected, silencing him for a moment. "Please… leave. The summoning ritual will be done, and we will see what to do from there… You've raised good points but… I believe we will stay here and not participate."

A long bout of silence stood between them. "Fine father," Reinalt said finally, his head low as he stood from the chamber, "Do as you wish. I will take no part in it."

Thus began the silence. He took part in the ritual as his father watched, being distant of this unknown ritualistic magic that was on the scroll. They retrieved the item needed, the bladder of a troll, intact and filled with the trolls own fluids. The fight was brutal and terrifying, but even Reinalt took part, and downed the creature himself. The ritual shook the entire household of the Yunda family, and the witnesses were astounded, or fled, the area once it began. The spell felt as if it shook the mountain, billowing forth green and black gas deeper than the night and smelling a foul stench. What stood waiting in the midst of the smoke was a small woman, with bright red eyes and white hair, her arms crossed, ready to introduce herself and show her master what she could do.

"I am Caster. I shall be your servant for this war. Do as you will with me. I will aid you all I can," she said calmly upon coming into view. She gave a deep bow, and looked around the room at the remaining members of the family, taking in the people she would be with for some time. The shocked expression on their faces brought some hesitation, but she held her ground. It was Reinalt who stood up first, and bowed to accept her, "I am Reinalt Yunda, the son of the head of the Yunda Family. I am honored to meet you."

That was where things began to take a turn for the worst. His father shut him out from the chamber, telling him he can't interact with her. They needed to talk of what was to come. He completed the ritual, and he thought, as her master, he had every right to see her. The days that followed were strange. Passing glances of her, smiles and waves exchanged, but everywhere he was, she was not supposed to be. His father, once the days were up, confronted him.

"Why did you do this!? I knew the magic in that scroll was no good! You should never have done this! She is more than trouble! She is an omen to our family and our home that will surely spell the end of our lives!" He said in an uproar in Reinalt's room.

"What do you know father!? Have you talked to her about something other than the war!? She may know about it, but she knows nothing of the king or his ambitions! Why must you control everything like this!? Why have you made it to where I cannot see her!? Is she poison to you? She's a woman, and a powerful one at that! We could win this war and I could wish for anything! The King would have to grant it! I could give you the crown and the lands! Listen to me father… Let us go. We can win this!" He moved in on his father, stepping within five feet of him.

"You know nothing of this world Reinalt. You've only ever been here, on the mountain. You will be slaughtered out there with those… barbarians. That is that. You will not go." He said with finality.

Reinalt hung his head low, and turned his back to his father. "Where is she to go then? Where is she now?"

"She is in the meeting chamber, where she was summoned. She seems to be very week. We are going to banish her, and send her back to where she came."

Reinalt turned quickly, rushing his father, thrusting his arms into his chest. A blast of snow and rock pinned him to the wall of the stony room. He struggled and moved, but was not able to move much, or even move enough to cast a spell to release him. "You will not be doing anything to her. I will win this war, and show you that I am strong, and I know how to handle myself. Goodbye father. I will see you once I have triumphed."

And that was that. The guards were called by his father as he dashed through the meeting hall, grabbing Caster and dodging the small attacks from the guards. He made his way to the stables, and began his decent with his servant.

He snapped out of it, now on his way back from giving the guard the information. He smelled something… delicious from the small house that would be his home for a span of days. He could feel his steps hurry along the cobbled road, and entered swiftly. Before him stood the woman who was his Servant, dressed in clothes he had not seen her wear. A small and simple dress of deep blue, stopping just above her knees, small shoes that had fur covering them, keeping her feet warm, and an apron of some sort, of white with blue trim. "Ah! There you are! The food just finished! I hope you enjoy duck. I've made quite a bit of that and bread."

What was prepared was probably the most delicious thing he had ever eaten. He could hardly speak the entire time they ate. Caster watched him as he ate, taking in the person who saved her from a terrible fate at the hands of his father. The headstrong Yunda crashed in the bed soon after eating, while Caster simply had to move her finger in the air to clean and put away the dishes. The amount of magic she had imbued into the house was immense, and it was protected from everything she could think of. Soon, it would be time to begin the war, and she hoped, they would be ready here.

* * *

Another day down, Archer and Rin moved back into the city, this time, taking their time to look around. The sun had just begun to set, so they had some time until the servants of the house would prepare dinner. Archer, still in his tribal garb, moved down the streets in bare feet.

"We truly do need to get a set of clothes made for you, or at least some leathers to allow you to still move freely but look… presentable."

Archer looked to her with a face of indifference, "I need… different clothing for battle?"

"To be presentable… in situations," Rin said, "like… meeting others or the like." Rin looked away for a second, thinking about her words.

"Are you sure that would be an acceptable way to spend our days?"

"You're right… You may just need some different battle attire. We will have to see what we can do with the things left behind or…" She was cut off for a moment, a hand held over her mouth and them both ducked into the nearest alley.

"Quiet Rin. There's something strange going on at the fountain ahead," Archer said in hushed tones.

Peering around the corner, the two could see a figure by the fountain, standing up with a kind of knife in its hand. A few more figures could be seen in a few other places, but they were unmoving and still. The main figure swayed back and forth, and moved the knife back and forth, as if a dance was being done. She moved to one of the still figures, and began running the knife over them; blood spurting in places, or the slicing through parts of the skin. The figures never made a sound. Rin and Archer watched the horror of what was happening as they crept closer.

"There are powerful magics at work here Archer, we need to get somewhere safe. Can you get us to the top of the buildings? That should suffice for a view of what is going on and enough cover."

With movements that rivals lightning strikes and the silence of the wind, Archer leapt from footholds and the walls of alleys to get to the top of the nearest building and swiftly made his way into the square where the act was being committed. They stayed low, and kept themselves hidden.

Before them, a woman, bare of any clothing besides some ceremonial attire was performing some intricate dance atop an etched summoning circle warped and changed by her magic. Certain circles were now jagged ovals or strange other objects with more sides than edges. Spikes adorn some symbols and objects, while some symbols are outright replaced. The symbol is huge as well, incorporating the fountain and some of the structures around it. The figures stood motionless as she cut them to shreds, speaking in yelled phrases and guttural tones. One, somehow, stood with his chest cut open, and his ribs pulled open from the sternum, and his skin pulled off of his legs, left around his ankles. The one she was working on now had no eyes, and was getting his arms cut to pieces, so his forearms around his wrists were left with the skin of his arms. He still stood motionless.

Rin retched slightly, trying to keep quiet as she continued. They continued to watch as the woman pressed on in her ritual. They could not rip their eyes away from what they were witnessing.

Rin's thoughts began to race. _What could she be doing? Is this a Mage of the war? What magic is this!? How is this even possible? Flesh and blood used for incantations? Body parts for components? What… is this madness?_

Archer gripped her shoulder, keeping her low. "Rin, are we going to stay here to see this?"

"We have to Archer… This could help us win this war… if this is what I think it is. We have to sit… and witness this… murder unfold."

* * *

Al'ana twisted and turned with such ferocity and elegance that any onlooker would be mesmerized if it weren't for the amount of blood and gore that littered the ground and her obscene clothing. She looked like a warrior ready for battle, but stripped of all armor besides necklaces, wristlets, a beaded chocker, a small feathered head dress, and little more than a loincloth to cover her bottom half. The words she spoke were a mixture of her people's language and that of the common tongue. As the knives flew and moved of seemingly their own volition, the blood and gore flew to the etched circle and surrounding walls of the fountain plaza. Now, the corpse of the slave showed visceral marks and skin and muscle hardly holding on to the body that remained. She turned, and began making her way to the other slave; this one, unable to hear.

It spoke a plea that sounded more like a child. "Please Master! Do not make me like the rest! I… I want to live!"

Al'ana stopped, and put her knives back where they belonged. She smiled at him, and began to talk as she slowly moved forward; her dance now taking a form of slow, fluid hip and arm movements. She knew he could understand her. He could read her lips. He had been taught so that he could be usable again. If he didn't, he would be killed.

He could hear the words in his head, being spoken by her in a demonic voice that he attributed to her alone: "Why would I spare you? You're brothers in chains area all gone; used for my ritual. You have no family to speak of, and now, you are in an unfamiliar land. What hope do you have here? Nothing. All you have, and all you have ever had, is nothing. You will stay, and you will die like the others. I need you. I need those terrified eyes, those pained screams, and I need your flesh and blood for my servant. He will win this war and bring honor and glory to my people. You should be thankful slave; you are more use now than you ever have been." She finished, now close enough to touch his chest. She took another step forward, grabbing her knives once more, pulling one slowly across the slave's neck, cutting through his neck. "You will serve me for a moment more. Die slave, and fuel my magic."

Using the other knife, she cut downwards from the neck, splitting him open, and left him. His cries rang out as she danced and spoke once more. They both continued until the slave was done, which, brought the strange woman to her knees, as she began to speak the words of the incantation loudly. With each breath, Al'ana could feel the air being sucked towards the center of the fountain. She continued, unwavering, awaiting her servant's arrival.

* * *

Archer grabbed Rin upon standing and began sprinting back to the estate. He was not scared, by no means. He was ensuring that they lived. The air around them, thinning every moment that woman spoke, was getting harder to move in. Upon reaching close to the grounds, he let her down, as they began walking the steps. "Archer… what… what is that woman?"

 _A demon,_ He thought to himself, _Someone we must watch ourselves around. She would sooner kill a comrade than take a hit for them._ "We must subdue her Rin. There is no way around it. That woman… She should not have the power she does."

Rin brushed herself off, breathing heavily as she felt the impact of the thinning air. "Let us hurry inside. This air is… is…" She grasped the archway of the steps to steady herself.

"She… She is a powerful mage. That much is for certain. Her speech… it's of the plains. She must be the daughter of the Ya'harl," She said, as she pushed off of the archway. "Hurry Archer. She will not wait for the war to begin. If she is pouring this much energy into the summoning, we must be ready soon. I hope you are prepared."

"More than prepared," He said, lifting her up into his arms as he began to carry her up the steps. The walk was not far, but it was grueling for them both. They could feel their energy being sapped from them, and upon entering the estate, they collapsed into the door as it shut itself. After a moment, a red light from the window bathed them with its eerie glow. They struggled, but stood up to see what was causing it. A column of energy, white, radiating out to a deep crimson red at the edges of its plume, rose from the fountain in view. Al'ana stood there, her hands outstretched to the sky as the massive beast of a servant began to appear. First its feet appeared, clad in white and red boots, greaves, and waist piece. Then, its body laid in the same color armor, one arm sheathed in a gauntlet, with the other in a leathery carapace of sorts. Finally, a head filled with sharpened teeth, raging red eyes, and long flowing white hair came to, it's skin an ashen color, like a dirty snowfall. A helmet formed over half of its face, and secured itself in place. The man was nearly twice and a half times taller and larger than any man in the land, and looked almost one hundred times as fierce. With the summoning done, and the light ceasing, Al'ana fell to the ground, exhausted. Her servant scooped her up in his hand, and bounded off out of sight in the city soon after.

"Time to get to work Archer. Once she awakens she will be ready to fight. We do not have long." She said as she made her way over to a door below the stairs. "This is the library where father keeps most of his studies and discoveries. I've been in a few times, but could never really look through what I wanted. Now that the war is here, I believe it is time to do some research."

She kneeled down, sticking a small ruby into the keyhole. With a small bit of time, the lock began to melt and form a puddle of copper on the ground. The lock and knob gone, she moved into the library, clapping her hands softly to illuminate the room. A three story home library greeted them, with lanterns of magical fire that shown brightly at each shelf. "Look for any books on the houses Archer. I'll give you a list. We have to figure out all we can about them, and fight them correctly. In the fight, we won't have the pleasure of time." She said as she moved to the desk, and got out a book on the Ya'harl family, and cracked it open, "Let's get to work. The war begins once that beast awakens."

* * *

"It begins soon… Soon we will fill the Grail, and change this world for the better. I am sure of it. This world will do well to change like the others," Leysritt said to herself, flipping the pages through the book swiftly. "A class was changed?" She scoffed. "No matter. Perhaps this will prove better. Maybe they will truly win the war this time. That ruffian seems as she could."

She moved over into the rising moonlight, and spoke softly out the open window, "Good luck young ones. You will need it. You will discover your fates soon enough. You will all be with the Grail shortly."

The moon looked on at the carnage of the giant city of Melephast, and drifted on in the sky, unknown that one night it would witness an atrocious and heinous act, that might end the world altogether.


	6. Chapter 6

Pages turned as time passed like a stream, ever pushing forward as the day drew to a close. Archer scanned the bookshelves in an attempt to find information on the other houses as Rin read and read at her father's desk, moving a gem around in her hand, imbuing it with as much mana as it could hold. She was preparing in any way she could. Each gem she held welled up with a spell, ready to be thrown or used as a catalyst of some sort in case of emergencies. She was exhausted, but her mana was not. She had to keep going; she had to win.

Why did she have to win? To get out from underneath her father? Prove that she was someone who could take the family over? Prove to herself that she could? That she was a capable mage? Why were these questions hitting her now? Did she feel over her head? Did she bite off more than she could chew? _Do I need to get father to help me? Can I access his lab below here perhaps?_

"Rin," A strong voice came to her as she gazed at the pages in a trance, "Are you alright Rin? What do you need me to do? I've found all the books on the families of the land like you asked."

With a sigh and a small shake of her head she replied, "I'm alright. Thank you. Just exhausted. We don't have much time before the war begins... and I know nothing at all about the other families. The most I know of is the Delnar's… and the most I know about them comes from Sophia," She gave a small amount of pause. Was Sophia in this war? Would she… help? Nothing ever said that more than one Master could survive and win the war. Agreements could be met right? Why not?

"Archer. I do have something I need to ask you," She said finally, breaking out of her myriad of thoughts and ideas.

"Go ahead Rin," He said, crossing his arms, "I'm listening."

"…What… what would you do in this situation?" She hesitated. She needed someone to conspire and talk tactics with. Archer seemed more than capable, but she was still unsure. What would he think of her? Some incompetent master?

"Right now, gathering information about our enemy would be the best course of action, but we also need to prepare our armaments and things to help us in our battles. The best thing, as you said, would be armor for our fights… For the both of us." He said, looking at Rin's attire. She had been in a light dress, designed for fashion, rather than function. Archer on the other hand, was all function, and no fashion, much to Rin's dismay. "I could make us both some attire for the battles… It seems my skills have been… improved upon coming here."

Rin nodded, "What would you do for the armor? How are we going to get it? We can look around town if you so wish."

"I will go hunt. It is what I was in a past life. It is what I can do now. Even the forest in the city, the cemetery, should have some wildlife I can use."

The thought felt altogether familiar to Rin. As if she would be in the bloodied and wet leathers from the past few weeks of her tracking her pray. The reports said that there were no more wolflings in the wilds… but reports could be incorrect still. Would she be helping him again? If so, she was prepared this time, and ready with spells, without a need to hide herself from the others. "That's fine. I will accompany you Archer."

"No. You will not Rin," The voice came back to her, which shook her from her book. Archer stood still and imposing in front of her, much like a figure of authority. "You are going to stay here, and study for the both of us. If you know tactics against our enemies, then we will surely win. This armor I will make will help us, but will not stop death. Our tactics may."

Rin merely sat there in silence a moment. Soon, she spoke up, looking at him with defiance in her eyes. "While I know you are my servant, and I your master Archer, you will do right to remember that I hold power over you. While I understand you wish to protect me to the utmost, I will not stand to be demeaned. I fought and killed the creature that had the items necessary to summon you, on my own." She stood up, and made her way around the desk, getting in his face. "I may look small and inexperienced, but I have trained hard as a mage, and know some combat of my own. While I am nowhere near the skills you possess, I will still be able to help in ways. I am going with you. We do nothing alone in this war."

Silence stood between them for a moment; Archer's stare seemed to pierce her, but she stood her ground fearlessly. She never wavered in her resolve, and she did not move her gaze from him. Their eyes locked for what felt like an eternity, until…

"Very well," his booming voice rang in the library. Rin's eyes blinked finally, snapping her out of yet another state she was in. She smiled in victory, and nodded. "Thank you Archer. I am only trying to help in ways I know I can. You may be confident in your skills, but this is still an unfamiliar land, and I know it far better."

"You are right," He said with a small smile. "Thank you. I need to see your side of things before I order you around." He gave a laugh. "We will leave soon to hunt. I will gather our things for the small trip," He moves to leave, but turns back, "A wolfling? What is that?"

Rin begins her explanation, telling him all of what the hideous creature is; from its origins, to how she brought one down on her own. Archer watched her with the same stare as their showdown before. Unblinking, unwavering resolve and will looked back at Rin as she spoke on and on about the creature that took so long for her to track and take down. "There are more out there, you do know that right? Nothing with that kind of power, even if it cannot breed on its own, will keep that power for long. The cycle always goes on. You killed one, and gave me that power; but the rest are out there. We have a quarry now. We leave soon. Be prepared Rin."

She nodded as she snapped the book shut, and hurried to retrieve her things. Into her room, she began to disrobe and get back into the gear she had used so long ago to track the wolfling. It had been cleaned since then of course, but it still felt strange to put it on. Once ready and her small bag of gems and dagger strapped up, she exited to meet Archer in the hall.

Before she left, she felt something eerie about the night. Aside from the display that they had seen, nothing much else had happened. It had been four hours since the summoning of that gargantuan creature, and the outpouring deluge of power coming from its summoning, but this feeling… it felt… felt as if…

A scream pierced the manor, shaking the floors and lights of the house. Archer merely looked to Rin and nodded, before jumping over the railing to the landing and began making his way out the door, with Rin close behind, readying a gem in her hand for a spell. _The war begins soon, and this might be our first real fight together._ They both thought in unison, as they sprinted down the steps in the direction of the scream.

* * *

The shovel hit the earth hard, and dug as deep as it could. This was his last resort. In the small span of time from this morning, the gem had grown even more unstable and was leaking more and more mana. Around his neck, he felt it surge and crack with each pulse of the 'heartbeat' that was his wife's soul. Tokiomi was frantic. He needed a body of some kind, something for his wife to inhabit; almost anything vaguely human would work now. Desperation took over as he skulked to the cemetery, looking for the freshly buried graves of locals he could remember. Finding one, he set to it. Alone, the work was grueling, and tiresome, but he had to press on; for his sake and his wife's.

He hit wood. A wooden coffin stared back at him. The name, 'Reina' was on the front in a nice plated plaque of sorts, with a flourishing design for the plaque itself, as well as the letters atop it. It was a beautiful creation, if a coffin could be called beautiful. The wood was free of any rough looking parts, and it felt smooth as stone. Tokiomi looked on it for but a moment, taking it in, before laying into it with the shovel with a fury he had never felt before. Soon, the top half of the coffin was smashed inward, and he could see the figure that inhabited it. A woman of a beauty that rivaled his late wife's, and a corpse that was still quite fresh. Her body showed no signs harsh death, aside from a ring of bruising around her neck. _Strangled,_ He thought to himself, _What a poor woman._

He set to work soon after, getting her out of the coffin and onto the ground where he had prepared the ritual circle. Mixing the blood from himself and the crushed charcoal made a perfect paste for the ring and symbols adorning the ground, and the symmetry was perfect as well. The spell was sure to work. He could feel it.

He set the woman down in the center, the gem around his neck now lying on her naked chest. He began speaking the incantations as soon as he was ready. The words came quickly, being practices over and over in his mind, and the language of the undead coming to his lips naturally. Speaking the language was like sucking the very life out of the air, and using it for your own devices, much like a mage uses mana that is in their own body for spells. Around him, Tokiomi could feel the trees begin to age and wither, and the ground become more and more barren as if the sustenance and life of the land was being fed into him, and thus fed to the body. As the incantation finished, and he could see the life force and soul of the gem physically pass into the woman, and the life from him and the surrounding well up around her and enter her, the body began to grow in color. From the paleness of death, to a light shade of yellow, to a full rosy red at the cheeks, the woman began to live once more, with a new soul. He had everything ready to begin filling her with life sustaining gems and symbols of protection, but first, he merely wanted her alive, and to see her and hear her voice once more.

The life of the forest, now done being drained, ceased its display, as did ritual spell. The woman lay there breathing softly as the wind rustled the hardly living trees.

"My… beautiful… wife…" He said, drained of energy from the shoveling and magic. Tokiomi shuffled to the side of his new reborn wife, and fell to meet her on the ground. He draped his arm across her, breathing heavily into her ear, "I… I've missed you so…" He whispered her name softly.

As he did, he rose up, and saw the eyes of his long lost wife begin to creek open. Eyes black as night, with a central point of green for a pupil stared back at him. He gasped in fright as a hand reached out for his throat, cutting it slightly with her fingernails. He scrambled upwards onto a gravestone as she took her time to rise as well, struggling under the hardly working muscles and fibers of the dormant body.

"Aoi… you… You don't remember me?" Tokiomi said, loudly to hopefully pierce her mind.

The woman looked to him, a smile coming across her face, "Of course I remember," She said in the hushed tone of the dead, "I saw everything you did to my daughter, and everything you have done to try and keep me alive and bring me back. I loved you Tokiomi. I loved you," She said, raising her hands to him, "I loved you with everything I had. I had no power of my own to help you, but you still loved me. But this… I don't understand. It was my time… and I had accepted that. But… you… you brought me back to this… place. In this body… I… This is not me!" She let out a screech that seemed to pierce Tokiomi and the forest itself like a spear through an animal.

"I watched as our daughter took everything you gave her, without question, and waited patiently for all those spells, symbols, those… gems you use for your magic. I won't have it anymore. I am not even fully alive this way, but I have power now," She said, as she squeezed her hand as magical circuits radiated from her wrist, "That magic you imbued me with… I can use it… I've seen you cast spells before… without those gems. It should not be too hard should it?" She said with a smile that was terrifyingly familiar to him.

"Aoi wait… you can't… you are still unstable… you'll be able to come back from this… I promise." He said, backing up and moving around the gravestones in his path.

"Just as the promise that you said you would keep when I passed! You promised to take care of Rin! Yet you filled her with magic and gems that made her some powerful child! You taught her spells and never watched her! You weren't a father to her! You were a dictator!" She raised her arm, palm stretched to the sky, and swiped at the air in his direction. Within moments of her raising her arm, a jagged green and black needle of sorts manifested, and fired towards him, sticking into the ground where he was moments before.

She was not listening to anything he had to say. Her mind was made up, and she was going to follow through with it. She wanted him dead, and needed to make sure Rin was safe.

Tokiomi scrambled deeper into the cemetery, looking for something; anything to protect him. He wanted to keep his wife alive, and now she had turned on him. He couldn't bring himself to silence her for good again, but it might be the only way he could survive.

* * *

The path was as straight as could be once they reached the trail into the forest that held the cemetery. As they arrived at the gates, they found them to be opened already, a sight that was common, but still alarming. Grave robbing had occurred more than a few times in the past decade, and the guards of the city did not police the cemetery at night due to hauntings and fright. "This way Rin," Archer said, pointing deeper into the cemetery, "We should find our source of the scream this way."

They ran as swift as they could. Rin felt the air rush by her, as if she were cutting through it. She didn't feel fatigued either. An ember of energy burned within her, spurring her on. _Is this… the power that Archer and I are sharing? How is this…_ She thought to herself.

The power was a constant stream through her body. Each small movement, she could feel the well of energy pouring into her. It was much like a small, seemingly ever burning fire. No matter the action, she felt as if she could do it and the energy would be there. She had never felt something this powerful before. This must truly be the power of a servant on a master.

"Rin, focus. We are nearly there. The forest… look…" Archer said as they ran through the now dying woods.

As they drew nearer, the woods seemed to lose its life at its heart. On the outer edges where they had originally come in, the trees were still green and vibrant, but deeper in, death overtook it all. The ground itself had cracked with the surroundings loss of life. Mana of the trees and the surrounds loomed in the air, and seemed to still concentrate around the center of the graveyard however. The feeling was… strange to say the least.

Then they heard it again. The scream—this time coherent—radiating from a figure standing atop a mound of earth, above another person throwing their hands up in defense.

"SUFFER FOR WHAT YOU DID YOU SCOUNDREL!" Screeched through the trees and into Rin and Archer's ears. They fell to the ground with the sheer force of the sound and the power coming from the figure above the other.

A large green and black energy began to radiate in the space above her hand. With the light it shed, she could see the figure below, and make out who it was. Her father, Tokiomi Tohsaka sat in the dry earth below, scrambling to find cover from the attack he was about to receive.

The scene was set perfectly; her father getting what he deserved, after hurting her for so long, and being punished by this creature who somehow knew just what he had done. However, something did not feel right. The figure before them looked pallid to say the least, and hardly alive at best. The figure of a naked woman with long dark as the night sky hair, and no visible blemishes on the skin was held before them, and she seemed somehow familiar. The voice, did not, but the way she held herself, the words she chose… something compelled her to stop the onslaught that she might release upon her father.

Rin sprinted towards her, the energy in her burning brightly as she moved with the speed of the wind. She collided with the woman and brought her to the ground, knocking her attack into the trees and deeper into the forest graveyard.

The energy sent a shockwave through the ground, radiating from its epicenter. Once finished, the assailant and Rin stood up and met each other's eyes. Rin did not recognize the woman before her, but, Aoi saw her daughter for the first time in this new form.

"Rin… You're… you're safe…" The voice was different, but Rin could hear it. The soft and motherly tone that came from here was something she had missed. Instinctually almost, Rin's arms began to rise to her mother. "Mom? That isn't… But it's…"

She couldn't place it. The being she saw was not her mother; but those words, that tone, and that smile she was giving her; it was her mother. Moving forward, Rin almost fell into her arms, tears in her eyes. The cold flesh nor her nakedness mattered to her, she just wanted her mother's embrace.

She cried. She had not felt the touch of her mother in years, and the soft embrace washed over her with a feeling of empty joy and happiness. She knew this couldn't last. Her mother was resurrected. This was either some terrible dream, or some forbidden magic that her father decided to dabble in. She hated him even more now. She loved her mother, and she wanted nothing more than to stay in her arms and cry until she passed out. She felt small, alone, afraid, and needed her… but she knew better. She knew who she was; she knew who she needed to be. Her father was incompetent, and her mother, while here now, would be gone once more. She had been strong in the fight to track and kill the wolfling, but she was still not as strong as she needed to be. Her determination was strong, but her body, her knowledge, her understanding, was weak. This, she knew to be true. She needed strength of all kinds to win this war and set her name, her mother, and her idiotic father's name, right.

"I'm so glad… I could see you again Rin." She said, kissing her forehead as she wept into her chest. Rin rose up, rubbing her eyes of the tears, and with a determined smile, nodded. "I had a suspicion that you were never truly gone. I am sorry father did this to you."

"I loved that man, and yet he did this to me," She said with venom in her voice. "I… overreacted however. I must leave this body, and this world for good. My time was long ago Rin." She stopped, looking down at her daughter. "That man… he put you through so much, and I was powerless to stop him. Now however…" Rin could hear something whirl and churn behind her, and felt the mana from her mother's body escape behind her, "I have power. Enough to end him, and to send me on my way… That last blast… well…" The magic that gathered behind Rin now began to move strangely. She turned just in time, to see a small ball of green and black undulate and wither, escaping to the air around them. "I… I am running out of this… mana you mages need so much for your spells. It's…" Her shallow breathing was becoming colder, and more lifeless. "It was a short time… but I am nearing my end once again. I need… to leave this body, and this mana… needs to go back to where it belongs... it... has..." She struggled to get the words out.

Rin merely nodded. "I know mother. We will do all we can to send you off… truly this time." She looked over to her father, a stare of death in her eyes. "Isn't that correct father? We will send mother properly this time won't we?"

Tokiomi was struck with shock. He came to his feet, fear still shaking him, as he walked closer to the duo, "Yes… of course. We can… we can drain the mana from you, and allow you to pass that way, and divert it back into the woods here. We can… begin whenever you want."

"As soon as possible. Please," She replied. A pain shot through Rin's heart, but she understood. She wanted her mother to stay, but she knew that she wanted rest. To watch her daughter in a different way than from a vessel that housed her in a limbo unknown by any mortal. They conversed as they prepared everything, but they all knew they needed to hurry.

The process began shortly after she was lowered back into the coffin, her body even now growing unstable. The magic began to radiate off of her; green tendrils striking out at random objects around. Rin and her father moved their hands along her body, stabilizing the mana flowing from her, and moving it into the ground little by little. "It shouldn't be long mother. Just stay still and focus on the sky above," Rin said, moving her hands down her mother's leg.

A smile moved slowly across her face slowly. The mana was draining and reviving the forest quickly. She was growing slower, and stiller. She opened her mouth slowly, speaking softly as she had when she first awoke, "Thank you Rin. I hope… that you win this war. I will be watching… and protecting you as best I ca—…" The words fell short as the last bit of life sustaining mana left her. All that was left was the white blue soul energy from her soul radiating in her chest. With words that sounded foreign, obscure, and altogether deathly and filled with evil, Tokiomi extracted the soul from the body, but without a place to house it, the soul drifted upwards, and drifted across the wind in the air, and disappeared. The air inside the forest was filled with the wonderful smell of evergreens once more, the night sky filling with stars again as the light from the mana and soul vanished. Before Rin stood her father, his face not showing the terrified expression he felt in his heart.

"I will be at the estate Rin. You and Archer please be careful," he said, as he turned to leave the graveyard.

"Why did you do this father?"

His walking was halted by the question. Turning, and with a small smile said, "I loved your mother. More than anything in the world. I wanted that love back… in any way I could get it. I kept her soul with me, and wanted a physical body for her to be in once more. I thought I knew what she wanted… but… it seems I was wrong."

Rin stood, waiting for a deeper explanation, but as with the normal conversations with her father, he strode off, and spoke no more.

Rin was seething with rage. Rage, anger, and a type of pain that she had never thought she could comprehend again. The pain of loss hit her deep once more. Her mother had almost done what she could not… and she had prevented it. Her mother had always been a beacon of hope and happiness to Rin, but then and now, she had left her with her father. Long ago, in memories that were clouded by many sessions of gem implantation, magical training, and unimaginable treatments, her father was a happy, handsome, and generous man; one that held her close when the thunder struck when she was still very small, a man who could drive away the scary monsters in her room and read to her by candlelight before she fell asleep. The pain of loss of her mother, and the loss of the father she had overwhelmed her. She wanted her alive, and him dead now. Deep down however… she knew she could do nothing to either. Her mother deserved rest after living in that state in the gem for so long, and her father, despite all his misgivings, wrongdoings, and her hated for him, was still her father. While she despised him for what he had done, she still felt as if something in him could be changed, maybe so that she could have the father she remember so long ago back. She felt as if she may regret it, but she had made her decision. Unclenching her fist, she inhaled the mana rich air, feeling refreshed and alive, despite all the death around her; one life, twice gone. Her father would have to wait for another day for him to answer for the things he had done. Now, she needed to focus on what she had to do before her.

Now alone, the two looked down at the person who had assumed the role of her mother for a brief moment. She was a beautiful woman, even in death. "Rest well. My the spirits of the forest guide you," Archer said, kneeling as he spoke. Digging his thumb in the ground and placing a line of mud across the forehead of the woman, he continued, "In life the spirits watched you grow, thrive, and become who you were. Now they will guide you to their home. Rest well new spirit, rest well." He stood back up, and gave a bow to the body. Rin looked on at the display, merely admiring the creature she might have created with her legends.

"You did not know her at all… but…"

"While not your mother's body, she was briefly your mother. And the woman who was that body had been dug up for your father's purposes. They both deserve something, even if it is from me, someone not of this place, nor world for that matter." Archer said quickly, replying to her unspoken question of why.

"Let us be off Rin… we still have a quarry to hunt. With everything that has happened, we'll need to venture to the forests close to the city. The graveyard has been… disturbed too much." Archer said as he began walking out of the graveyard.

Rin sat next to the coffin and just looked at her a moment. Her father would have guards come and place her back in her grave properly once his word reached them, but for now, she would be left out, letting the wind and weather roll over her. It was fitting in a sense. Her mother died in bed, cooped up inside for what seemed like years to her, and then just one day expired. Rin couldn't understand at the time, but as the days went on, she realized that her mother wasn't coming back. She cried for days on end, and then her father began his ideal way of preserving her and keeping her safe. It was an awful childhood, and she wished she could change it, but what was done was done. No one can change the past; no amount of wishes can alter it. She stood up, gave a bow, and sighed as the wind of the night blew softly.

"Goodbye mother. I hope you rest well. Please… watch over me like you said. Archer as well. I… I want to make sure we win this. To make you proud."

With that, Rin went to Archer, catching up to him at the gate. The feeling of warmth was still there, and burned brighter than it had before. Looking to him, he could see pain on his face, as if he was holding emotions or memories long forgotten back. She smiled, feeling the warmth flair a little as she came into his view. "Thank you Archer. You are more than just a Servant it seems," She gave a smile his way.

His gaze made its way across her as he moved out of the gate. "I am glad I could be of service. Come… It is time we leave."

Rin came to his side, and began her walk with him once more; the burning well of energy inside her burning with an emotion she had not felt yet; Happiness? Joy? Comfort? Peace even? She could not explain it. All she could explain was that Archer was this energy source, and that she helped him in the same way. Emotions gave them power, and together, they were unstoppable. Soon, they would enter the forest, where their quarries lay in wait for prey, or to be preyed upon.

* * *

"Is it fresh?" The man asked of his partner. The figure stood tall amongst the gravestones by the open coffin next to another individual, squatting to check the open casket and empty grave.

"It's been dug for about an hour. The body's been… disturbed. In more ways than one." A female voice replied as it stood, adorned in black armor.

"Can you find who dug this hole?"

"Some fresh footprints are heading out. We'll follow them and see where they lead." She said, somewhat indifferent, "Why did you want to check this out?"

"Did you not feel that mana pulse that went out not long ago? Lancer, this could be our chance to thin the numbers before the war even starts."

The words were not what she had wanted to hear. Her partner had been nothing but helpful, loving, and wonderful to her. Once they came to Melephast however, he changed. The war, and the prospect of victory took over his mind. She didn't want this version of her master, she wanted the old one back. But, she did agree to it, following her orders. "Let's be off then. We'll… we'll track them down."

With that, the duo left the graveyard and followed the trail of the other master and servant as they made their way out of the city, and into the forests outside of the city.


	7. Bonus Chapter: Chapter 6,5

The night drifted as Caster felt the mana of the city be siphoned to the graveyard far from her. "Someone brought another back to life. Sloppy job from what it feels like," She said as she moved around the streets, running her fingers in patterns along the walls. "With Reinalt asleep, I can finally get to work."

The drink she served to her master was a strong spirit. Perfect in taste, and the best drink to keep people asleep through any manner of actions. "I've put enough wards on that house," She said to herself, under her breath, "No one will even be able to see it. He's safe… He's safe."

She was worried of course, but she knew what she needed to do. She had many different ways to combat the servants who wished to fight, as well as the masters. She had many plans that needed to be cared for and fostered before the mayhem that would be the first Holy War. She was far from strong enough in physical might to best the combatants, but if she could prepare well enough, she may prove that she could be the most formidable foe in the group.

She made her way down an alleyway that was splotched with moonlight, and found it to be a dead end. A smile crept across her face as she began to run her hands along the walls, grabbing the shadows that formed there into her hands; stealing them from their owners, and placing them on herself. Once she made it to the end, she appeared more as a figure shrouded in darkness, and seemed to radiate the shadows from her. "This form will do nicely," She said, inspecting herself to make sure there were no spots left untouched by the darkness. Placing her hand on the dead end wall, she moved into it slowly, becoming one of the shadows across its surface.

A form appears atop the shadows in the moonlight; if one could call it that. It was a formless mass for but a moment, but soon, it took shape. Red eyes were set on a head with horns that spiraled upwards; wings stretched far across the expanse of moonlight across the wall from the back of the creature, and hands that seemed to swirl and move with an everchanging manner stretched above the figure. It smiled slowly, as the light caught a flicker of something on the wall. A tooth from the shadow? A small sliver of crystal in the wall?

The shadow leapt from the moonlight, and soared to another building across the ground, its form now sitting atop another building, overlooking a fountain covered in blood. "This servant ritual… it seems… so powerful… Blood magic hmmm?" She gave a smile of glee. "Another user of a magic so potent…" She shivered. "I can't wait!"

Caster jumped down, her wings letter her glide to the ground close to the fountain. Surprisingly, the fountain was intact and still flowing with water as clear as the sky. "This won't do at all…" She said, as she took a small rag with some blood splotches littered on it and placed it in the water. She stirred it with a now elongated arm, the rag in hand. She focused on the process, the swirling of the water as the rag began to leak its contents into it. The smell was foul, and the water felt vile and putrid. As she retrieved her hand from it, the rag was gone, and with a small trace of her fingers atop the stone of the fountain, as was the stench.

"Perfect. This will eliminate the idiots out of this group of combatants. A disease that attaches itself to the blood, and causes it to ooze," she moved her wet arm up to the sky, the moonlight hitting it and letting the water glisten, "boil," she licked the water from her arm slowly, "And escape from the person's body. I have to say… It is downright cruel."

She gave a giggle before leaping up into the air once more. "Let's just hope this won't kill them all. I'd like to have some fun with someone before this war is over. I haven't gotten to spread any new diseases in quite some time."

She leaped from building to building, moving around the city and tracing more and more patterns on streets, walls, buildings, and dead end alleys. It was thrilling to her, and she was entirely too excited to get her magic underway in her enemies.

Suddenly, as she was flying low to land somewhere, a knife darted through her wings. The hole they made did not hinder her, nor did it hurt the shadowy form she took for the night. She landed and readied herself, her arms now ending in fierce claws, dripping with blackened liquid of shadow. Six eyes glared in the darkness across from her, the deep red of each looked something more akin to droplets of blood atop water, wispy but vibrant.

"Ah, you must be one of those other servants. Sophia has told me… SO MUCH… about you all." The woman steps out, her hand holding a few knives. Her skin reflected the moonlight well, making her a stark contrast to the shadows she inhabited, and her white hair did much of the same as well, but hit most of her face from view. "On and on, she tells me all about each of you," She places a hand to her forehead, rubbing the middle left eye as if she were bored, as she begins to mock her master, 'The Cleric looks to be the most powerful, having magic and might to combat others with. You being what you are, you may not be able to fight them too effectively.' That's just… hurtful. I know a thing or two about toppling bigger things than me. Smaller ones like you are far easier to manage." She licked her lips. "And far more appetizing. You're Caster, aren't you?"

"Are you… Perhaps… Assassin?" Caster smiled gleefully as her claws grew slightly. "My, I didn't expect to fight the weakest of the servants tonight! I was hoping to at least face Rider. Who's your master… you… rat?" Caster searched for an insult.

"Cute. If you must know, a spider would have been better, or little insect would have been just adorable. And what does that matter? Just fight me and be done with it. The War hasn't started. Can't this just be some _friendly_ sparring?" She let a smile slip across her face, revealing teeth that look sharper than her knives.

The creature that looked more demonic than human gave a smile as well, as she sank into the building, a pool of shadows below her. "We will," She said as she melts into the building, "I won't kill you. You've caught my eye little spider. Let us see how powerful that bite of yours is."

The fight began across the rooftops of Melephast, its barren streets and clear skies displaying brilliant moonlight and deep shadows across the landscape of the city.

Assassin leaped towards the spot that Caster left, leaving the shadows that were reaching for her behind her. She turns midair, and launches a barrage of daggers and knives towards the hands, each connected with a tiny string nearly invisible to the eye of a normal person. They cut through the arms and hands that were reaching for her, slicing them and severing them from their point of origin.

"You're crafty spider. You know how my magic works already do you?" a distorted voice came from the shadows where Assassin jumped.

Flipping slowly, Assassin fired a dagger into the blackness, dissipating the magical darkness that inhabited it. "Just figuring stuff out. I like to toy with my prey some before I make it bleed… or maim it… or… well you'll find out soon." She stood and spoke triumphantly. Another arm reached up for her from the shadowy side of the building she was on. The strength of the hand of shadow was immense. It began to crush Assassin with what felt like the weight of an elephant.

"Good! It just wouldn't do if you simply showed me all you could do and not give me anything to show for it. I won't kill you Assassin, do not fear," a figure formed before her by the hand. Out walked a small figure of a slim build, purple skin, and white hair with black eyes, their ears pointing upwards and outwards. "I will enjoy watching you squirm in my shadows however."

Assassin contorted, and bit the hand that grasped her. It was futile. "A shadow has no feeling you dolt," Caster gave a shrill laugh comparable to her size.

"That's… Fine… I can… do a few other… things…" She said through strains of pain. Through her wiggling and contortions, she managed to escape most of the grasp of the shadow. "Ah good. I was worried that would be your only trick against me. Those little needles you call knives." Caster said with a toothy smile. Assassin rushed her once she regained her composure, and thrust a knife towards her. Caster moved slowly, but dodged it with ease. "Surely you can do better than that," she said as she shoved Assassin off of the building, sending her plummeting.

With a tug, Assassin pulled on the string connecting her wrist to her knife that had wrapped itself around Caster. The tug secured itself into the purple skinned creature's neck, as she plummeted with Assassin to the ground. Caster's eyes widened as she looked over to Assassin, tumbling down with her.

The two crashed into the ground, one with a dramatic thud, the other with a sound comparable to a footstep on cobblestone. Assassin stood above Caster, or the shapeless mound of shadow that was Caster. She began to seep through the cobblestone street, a smile on her face. "Ah the thrill of battle! I can't get enough of it! You've got quite a few things up your sleeve there Assassin." She seeped into the ground finally, and appeared atop the building they were just at, back in her shadowy demonic looking visage. "I can't wait to see what else you can do. But for now, I will bid you farewell! I have quite a lot to do tonight!" She gives a dramatic bow, as a storm of daggers make their way through her shadowy form, being pulled back down as quickly as they were launched.

"My my. You can't give up can you? Goodness, you have such stamina…" She quivers a little in excitement, "I can't wait to take that from you. Goodbye Assassin. I hope we face each other again once this war begins." After that, Caster leaped downward, diving into the shadows below by Assassin, and disappeared.

Assassin let the daggers fall to the ground. She was exhausted from the fight and lack of practice the past few days. "Looks like… I need to train a bit more. I'll… I'll go get Sophia and see what she wants to do. Perhaps… it's time to use a few more tricks we have ready. If they are all going to be like that… we'll need every trick we have to win."

Assassin began to make her way back to the Inn, thinking about the encounter she just had, and how to face it.


	8. Chapter 7

Breaths fall softly as bodies fly through the trees. Thanks to Archer's well of power that Rin could tap into, the previous events at the graveyard did not drain her too much of energy or will. She pressed on and kept up with Archer. Each step was treacherous but well foot somehow as they ran through and dodged branches, underbrush, and shrubs in the rising moonlight. She was not far behind her servant, acting out somewhat in his environment. He would move through the dense trees as if they were simply a part of the ground itself, jettisoning off of the trunk of one only to grip another and swing around it to further his travel through; all without hardly the sound of a rustle of a leaf. It was amazing to behold, but even more amazing how Rin was keeping up and performing some of the same stunts herself. She was pulling herself along, as well as running faster than she ever had before. The feeling of her swiftness was euphoric and brought a smile to her face. Freedom; that must have been it. True Freedom. She was out from under her father's fist, she had a Servant for the war that was more than capable of handling himself and her at the same time, and she was doing something she wanted. She couldn't explain it well, but she knew the feeling and wanted to keep it as long as she could.

"Rin wait. We are near."

The voice rang out in her ears, but no sound could be heard through the forest. _Telepathy?_ She thought to herself.

"Yes Rin, I can hear you."

Archer spoke back, looking down at her from a little farther ahead and above in the trees. He nodded back to her.

"I understand. I'll slow down. Just tell me what to do Archer," She replied, 'speaking' through her mind.

He turned to look at her as he came to closer to the ground. "We must fell the creature, by any means. Its hide is what we need. If you have some paralytic magic or something of some kind, that would be best, but if not, arrows would be our best weapon for the job. That, and surprise."

"Why not come at it from both sides? We will be at an advantage then."

"In the open, yes we would. Here however, we are in its domain. It has an advantage over us still. Slow advance and stealth is what we need to use. It's not far, follow me Rin. Have your weapon prepared."

She had the small crossbow ready to go since they left the estate, but aside from that, a small dagger rested in her back, ready to be grabbed at a moment's notice. Behind Archer however, she felt like she wouldn't need either. Power emanated from him in a way that made her feel abundantly safe in this seemingly wild environment. They passed through the underbrush slowly, and without much of a sound between them, until they found it, resting in a clearing.

This one was much larger than the last, and its aura could hardly be felt where they had been. Rin could feel it now, pulsating and radiating off of the creature. It would tower above Rin if it were standing upright, but as it were now, it was about her height as it lay there.

"It knows we are here. Prepare to shoot Rin. When I tell you… release your bolt."

The voice rang in her head, and she nodded in confirmation. They crept into the clearing with their backs against the ring of trees, and steadied themselves. "Once we fire, we'll need to have a way to keep it between us. Keep behind it Rin."

Another nod in response… and then it began. Sweat rolled down the side of her face as she crouched at the ready. Her hand began to clench and feel sore, and her arms began to shake. She had felt this feeling before, when she was tracking and saw the one before for the first time. It felt terrible. She felt sick, clammy, and just… unfocused. She clenched her teeth and held her breath; waiting for Archer's signal.

Time passed slowly, but soon, she was nearing her breaking point. She blinked.

"Attack Rin."

As she opened her eyes, the creature turned with a terrifying lunge, mouth agape, and she fired. The bolt went through its cheek, and dug upward into its skull, missing the brain and any vitals, but still causing it considerable pain. A cry was let out from it as it fell from the pain. Rin watched as the magical beast seemed to stanch the bleeding with its own magical happenings, cutting the arrow and bolt and sealing the wound. Rin ran around the clearing, gaining some distance between them, keeping her eye on the creature.

It scanned its surroundings fiercely, looking around for where the arrow came from, and knowing that Rin was the one who fired the bolt. Rin readied another bolt as quick as she could, while still keeping her eyes trained on the beast. Another arrow from above her fired into the creatures shoulder as it let out another wail of pain. Another hit is on the other side soon after. It leapt into the air, and slashed its claws to the supposed location of Archer.

"He is fast, but we are faster. Fire again Rin. He is nearly done."

She readied the crossbow once more, and fired; this time, her bolt was met with a swift claw that cut it down. The creature steadied its focus on Rin, nearing her slowly.

"Do not run Rin."

The command simply made it all the more terrifying. Rin stood her ground amidst the fearful noises coming from the creature that was not but a few yards ahead of her. She grits her teeth as she stares into its eyes; the eyes of a creature brought into existence with magic and twisted to a foul form. The yellow glow of them sent chills down her spine. She blinks for but a second, and it is gone from the ground and has leapt into the air, the form moving towards her with great speed.

Hardly a second passes; as she hears arrows come from bows all around her. From the treetops, the trunks, and even the roots and shrubs around her; a barrage of arrows come to meet the beast as some skewer it. The force of the attack sends it backwards, plummeting to the ground; motionless and dead.

Straightening herself up and looking around, she sees Archer come from the entrance to the forest on the other side of her. His voice breaks the deafening silence once he reaches the huge beast on the ground, resting at nearly his height, "He's finished." Archer said with a heavy sigh. "We'll haul him back as best we can."

Rin moves over to Archer, legs hesitant in their advance. "Archer… how did you do that?"

"Felling this beast? I shot arrows into it Rin, how else did I defeat it?" He said with a smile of arrogance.

"You know what I mean Archer. What was that? Did you… harness some of my magic?" She said gleefully.

"Perhaps. I simply took aim and fired. Perhaps you influenced the attack more than you think." The smile grew more genuine and caring as he moved closer.

"Well either way, we are learning how to trust one another more and learn from one another. It's the first step in fighting effectively together." She said, loading another bolt into her crossbow. "Luckily I didn't have to use any of my own magic I had prepared either," She smiled as she made her way to the creature, "So… what can you make out of this… thing?"

"Leathers, weapons, a myriad of things. Once we get it home I'll see what we can—," His sentence cut short, he shot forward to Rin, taking her to the ground and then lifting her up, taking her to the forests not far from them.

The sound came after the red lance stuck through the tree; the crackling and thundering sound of the lance breaking the sound barrier shot through their ears in the depths of the forest. Soon after, footsteps were heard, followed by two voices.

"Dammit Lancer. You aren't as keen as you said you were," A voice came from the east side of the clearing. The voice sounded somewhat gruff, militaristic, and quite harsh. It had a higher register to it, as if a teenage boy was trying to sound tough and mean.

"I'm sorry Master," The voice replied, sounding somewhat light and delicate, but had a power behind it that could be felt. It was neither cold nor hot, but felt as if it were ready to unleash a power welling inside it at any moment. "I'll be sure to pin at least one of them to the wall next time, instead of just grazing them."

Blood was beginning to seep out of Archer's side now. The speed and the sharpness of the spear had left a near invisible cut along his side to his back. It trickled down slowly, and was already stopping its advance. In the shrubs and low branches of the trees, the two crouched and watched as their assailants stepped forth from the shadows. The first to show itself was a slender woman in jet black armor, the most that could be seen from her body was her dark straight hair and her white skin. Red eyes shown back without a hint of sadness or regret. Beautiful would not do her justice. She lifted her hands in front of her, concentrating on something for a moment, before the sound was heard again. The lance shot across the clearing, towards her, and stopped at her palms, resting in her hands once more.

"It seems we have scared them off master," She said, a smile displaying intentions most foul shown across her face.

Her presumed master, coming from the forest now, was in light metal armors of silvery white, with light tanned skin and short black hair. In all accounts, he seemed refined, but hardened by battle in his own way. His eyes, deep brown iris' of dark wood, showed some care for his servant, but mostly anger for losing his prey. "No matter, we will find them. Warriors who felled this beast, show yourselves!" He said quite loudly, "We are here to do battle. Before this Holy War begins, we would like to test your skills, to determine if this war will have any participants that could best us. It will only be a friendly spare." His grin gave away his true intentions immediately, as did the prior attack. "I await your answer. Come forth if you are not a coward!"

Archer grit his teeth as the healing magic from the gem sealed up the wound and brought him back up to health. "That attack… If you hadn't protected me… Well… this makes twice now I owe you my life." She spoke quietly, and readied her gems for combat. "I will do all I can to take down the other master, or at least distract him. That servant… She is fast… but you are in your element here. I know you can beat her."

Archer merely smiled as he stood up slowly behind a tree, and nodded. "I told you I would protect you. I promised you. I will not break it."

"Ah there you are," The angry voice came again, "Come out here; let us see what we are up against."

"Rin?" Archer looked back, for her approval.

Rin shook her head to agree, and moved with him into the clearing.

"A small girl and a… man in a skirt? You must be joking. Lancer, pierce them. The girl first, as we agreed." He said, pointing towards Rin, a grin of disgust on his face.

"Yes master," Were the only words from the woman next to him, as she lunged forward with speed unknown to any animal or human. In the blink of an eye, Archer was in front of her, two swords of bone drawn and locked in a standstill with the woman and her lance.

"Ah so you do have some fight in you. Good. I thought you would just run away again. Disengage Lancer. We will fight them on equal terms."

Lancer moved back with the same speed as before, releasing Archer from their engagement. "Ready yourself. I want a fight; not a few strikes and you both falling to your knees begging for mercy!"

The fight began with a charge from the master in armor towards Rin. Ready for the action, Rin leapt backwards, and with a point, fired a shot of dark energy from her finger, landing right at the feet of the other master. "Don't underestimate me. I have more aptitude than you know."

As their fight began, as did the other. Lancer shot towards Archer, who was quick to react this time around. Each hit was met with an opposition, and each dash to and fro was met with another from the other. No openings could be found and no end could be seen facing each other in simple combat. Disengaging, the two merely stood and looked each other over for a moment. "Archer, you are much more powerful than this. I've heard the legends of you," Lancer spoke, a smile coming across her face. "You've taken down creatures of your forests taller than these trees, you've swam in underground waters to destroy sea monsters that had lived for centuries, you've even killed dragons from the dark elves you fought against!" She dashed forward, catching him slightly off guard, and cut as his shoulder. Blood ran down his arm as he dashed towards the forests, putting his blades away. "Running away are we!? Just like how you fled the land ." She said, chasing after him.

Rin's fight raged on as she fought as best she could against the other master. He closed in, his spear and shield at the ready, and struck at her repeatedly, with speed close to that of some rabid animal. "Surely you can fight with me on physical terms. Or are you simply that of a mage only? You will never win this war!" Each strike was quicker than the next, and each were becoming harder to dodge. She needed a plan, fast.

* * *

In the trees, Archer drew his bow, and closed his eyes. He was deep in the forest, away from the clearing, but he knew where Rin was, and knew she was alright. He needed to get away from her so that he and Lancer could truly fight fairly. He heard it soon after that, the soft feet of a hunter creeping through the trees and on low branches, searching for their prey. Archer leapt from his perch, and found her, and fired. She turned at the right moment, as the arrow went through her calf and out the other side into the ground. She let forth a wail of pain that even Archer had never heard any of his quarries make. She rushed towards him, blood spilling on the ground, and lunged with such speed he thought her some possessed creature. "You will not WIN! I… I must win! For master!" She said between the grunts of pain and exerted energy. Archer withdrew once more and delved deeper into the forest, where the trees were thicker. Once more, without hesitation, Lancer followed in her blind lust to kill for her companion and master, as well as to feel the rush of the battle once more.

* * *

Rin ducked behind a tree and began to run. "Get back here! COWARD!" The other master screams as he tiresomely trekked through the dense forests, looking for the little girl who he was fighting. Rin retrieved her crossbow, and began making her way back to the clearing. She could sense him still. His magic was weak, but still present. He had not learned to hide it fully yet. A spell was readied on him, as were many on her, but his was something she had not seen in a while. A physical spell; one to increase his abilities. They were dangerous to say the least. One wrong word spoken or one wrong word written, and the body part used for the spell would burst, bleed, or simply rot away. Still, if he had that mastered, then perhaps he was better taught than what he seemed. She breached the clearing, and readied her weapon. "Ah you've lost me haven't you?" He threw his voice around the clearing. A simple trick, but one that Rin could see through. He was behind her, to her left, his spear at the ready to charge into her and finish the fight in his favor. She turned, and fired soon after his spoke. Her bolt hit, but it did not hit her target.

The feeling washed over Rin slowly. She had not succeeded. She needed more training. In combat, with weapons and magic. She needed to pay more attention to things. She was in a fight for her life. There were no second chances. As the blood ran down her side, she could feel the gems within her kicking into action as her body began to repair rapidly once the spearhead withdrew from her. "What the hell are you!?" The other master spoke with a terrified look. "I have seen healing magic before but that is simply… regeneration! That amount of power… just… what are you?" He said, his body shaking somewhat.

"I am Rin Tohsaka, heir to the Tohsaka House. I am a mage, and I am a Master in this war." She smiled and took out a few rubies from her pocket. "Let us finish this, as mages would."

* * *

Lancer sprinted through the forest that grew deeper into darkness as the moonlight hardly penetrated to the ground. She reached a small clearing, and readied herself. "Come out Archer. We are to settle this. I will win against you. You have no way to win. I can find you. I cut you. I can find the blood trail easily." She lifted her head, and drew in a deep breath. "Ah, the sweet smell of spilt blood. It always gets mine boiling and ready for a war to begin. Master knew this would bring out… my abilities." She said, trailing off. Her breathing began to slow down, and her eyes began to dim as the red glow of battle ceased from them. "Master… where are you? Archer? I… I know you are here. I can still smell your blood… It's… It's…" This was where the trail ended. One drop of blood was set about an inch apart in a circle around the clearing. This was where it ended. Below her, she could feel it. Something was amiss. The ground was not steady, and neither was her footing, even though the clearing was flat with trampled earth. Her timid and fragile voice, now slowly losing the power it had before called again. "Master… where are you?" She stepped forward, and her feet shot above her, as her head met her knees.

* * *

Rin fired two of the rubies one after the other, one hitting just in front of the other master, and the second hitting him in the chest. They both exploded with a small blast of fire. After the second, she lunged towards him, and set the next one into his armor, and let it detonate, pushing a hole into his armor, and cutting at his ribs and stomach. "I surrender! I withdraw from this fight!" He wailed as he gripped his side where the dent was made.

"You said it was a sparring match, but that initial lunge and the stab to the side sure didn't seem like sparring to me." Rin said, annoyance and anger in her voice.

The other master shook with fear, terrified as to what he might really be facing. Brush and limbs could be heard rustling to their right as Archer moved forward from the forest, with a makeshift trap behind him. It looked to be vine tied together with a myriad of sticks and leaves, but, it appeared sturdy. Sturdy enough to at least…

"You caught me Archer! Now let me out of this… contraption!" a voice filled with anger, hate, and bratty annoyance filled the trap behind him as it came into view. Lancer sat with a bloody nose and her knees up to her chest. "You've won! Now let me out!"

"Ah I thought you would have been done sooner than that Archer," Rin said with a genuine smile. She let a deep sigh release from her body, content in how they handled the fight, but soon took her attention back to the man shaking in armor. "Tell me who you are. I'll fix your side if you give me some information. The War hasn't started yet, and your death would be on my hands. I would have killed you in cold blood."

"Well thought Rin." Archer said with a smirk, as he glared down at the other Master. "She asked you a question. Answer. Now."

"My name…" He regained his composure somewhat as he spoke now, "Is Fumio Shin. I am the master for House Shin."

"Of The Horse March? Well, no wonder you were so skilled in combat," Rin grinned. "Your magic is lacking, just as father said though. As promised, I'll fix that wound of yours. It would be easier without your armor on though."

"No need. Nothing is broken. The wind was knocked out of me. It's only a few scratches under here I will be fine." He said standing, slowly moving over to Lancer in Archer's trap. "I'll just… take her out of here… and be gone."

"Hold on. I have a few more questions before you leave," Rin said, pointing her finger at him, "I still have a considerable amount of Mana left. I can fire as many rays as needed to send you into a coma."

Shin froze, as did Lancer, who had somehow crossed her legs inside the strange contraption around her. They waited anxiously for the question to be addressed.

"Why? Why did you attack us?"

The question echoed slightly in the dense forest, but was met with an answer once the moon felt at its brightest. "We thought you easy prey. Ones that we could eliminate before the war even started."

"Disgusting. Off with you. Archer. Let her go. If we fight once more do not expect similar treatments." Rin waved her hand as she turned to go back to their trophy of a creature. Archer unlocked the trap, and allowed Lancer to exit. Once free, the Master and Servant joined hands for a moment, and then backed away from whence they came. "We will win when we see you again Rin and Archer! Just you wait!" Shin said soon after casting a spell on him and Lancer, increasing their speed to retreat.

"You were very lenient Rin. Do you think that was wise?" Archer spoke loudly, now feeling safer in the surroundings.

"Perhaps not, but what could I do? I knew he had a spell ready, and I had not seen him cast anything much yet. If I had tried one more bolt, I would have not been quick enough to ready it, if I were to fire a gem or some of my magic, he would have been ready for it. He is a warrior, and I am not. I have utilities ready with my spells, and offensive magics as well as this… crossbow. However, I am far from a hardened veteran of battle. I need to train a bit with this at the very least. The only reason I had it when I took the first wolfling down was because the guy I knocked out had it."

She gave a heavy sigh as she sat on the ground next to the creature, basking in the bright moonlight. "While what we have done has been draining, this view… of the moon in this forest… It's remarkable. I've never known these woods were as vast and full of such things as this."

Archer merely watched, as something bit him in the back of his mind. This scene of a long haired beauty sitting in the moonlight felt nostalgic and familiar to him. In his memory, he could see her. White skinned, untouched by the sun unlike him, dark hair flowing beautifully in the calm breeze as she sat atop the stump of a large tree before the pond glistened in the moonlight behind her as her blue-green eyes captured the light perfectly. She turned towards him with a smile like that of a long lost friend. She was something akin to a goddess to him. In the present, the same goddess sat there, but different. Her hair had some wave to it. Her eyes were deeper in color, but held the same hue. Her skin was not but a shade darker, but noticeable. The scene was less than picturesque, but the moonlight, it hit her just right, and her eyes, they seemed to dazzle and show something more, and her smile.

 _Light._

The word flashed through his memory for a moment, and then it was gone. "Is everything alright Archer?" Rin said as she rose from her spot. "You look like you've had a fright."

"I'm… fine… Just… remembering a few things from before."

"Oh really? You haven't really talked much about that. Care to share?" Rin replied quickly, genuinely interested in the potential being she created.

"Well… I can show you once we get this creature home with us," He said with a sigh in his laughter. The creature was a mammoth of a wolfling, weighing close to, if not more, than a fully grown bear.

"How are we going to do this Archer?"

"I already have the sled made. We'll run it back through the graveyard to the estate. It's the quickest way."

"We're going to have to pull it aren't we?"

"It will be good exercise for us. We may have been working hard all day today, but there is no time for rest since the war will start soon, right?" He said with a wry smile.

"Yes yes… of course…" She huffed. "That has been my excuse so far. I suppose you can use it as well." With a small giggle, Archer readied the sled to take the creature back, and with the two of them, they maneuvered it onto the sled and began their trek back—prey in tow—to the estate.

* * *

"Master… I…" The voice fumbled over her words, and cleared her throat, "Shin… I… I underestimated him. His skill was far more than what I expected."

Lancer was now in her plainclothes, sitting on her knees, with Shin sitting in a chair across from her. She bowed deeply, "Please… forgive me Shin."

"Lancer… You told me that it would be simple to take them out. Archer was supposed to be the weakest of you all wasn't he!? That's what you said wasn't it!?" He said, fuming with anger and rage at his servant and lover.

"Yes it was… That's how it appeared anyway. I have not seen Assassin yet… so I ruled them out… He appeared to be the weakest of the ones in town." Lancer said as she cowered slightly. This had only happened one other time, a few days after Lancer was summoned. Testing her skills, Fumio sent a small group to try and best her. She subdued them quickly as he watched. Another group was sent in afterwards, and was cut down just as swiftly as the last. Soon, he grew tired of it, and went to face her himself, knowing he can stop her. The fight went on for hardly a minute, when Lancer cut his face ever so slightly, and claimed herself the victor. That was also when their relationship began.

 _"_ _Getting scolded by Master…"_ She thought as she sat there. Sadness and fear on her face but happiness and love in her heart, she loved harsh words towards her, and the actions of his anger. They never resulted in any physical harm to her, and she thought it cute when he went into a flurry of angry expletives or actions.

 _"_ _All of his rage and anger… and all these harsh things…"_

"What are you thinking Lancer!?"

She jumped him, stopping his assault of words and moved to the bed soon after. She was in control now, and Shin had better be ready for what she had planned.

"Don't worry about that master. I'll do all I can to make it up to you; here… and on the battlefield. We will win. I promise." She finished as the sun broke the horizon out of their window.


	9. Chapter 8

The days passed quickly as Archer and Rin continued to train, and craft things from their hunt. Archer was correct in his assumptions, as his skills of skinning, tanning, and crafting using the animal was heightened beyond what he could ever imagine. Nothing of the animal went to waste. The organs were even used in a few spells that Rin wished to experiment with. It's heart, where most of its mana was stored, was siphoned of its magic, and stored in a small gem set in a ring on Rin's finger. "It's just a precaution. If we are ever in a bind, we'll use this." She lifted it up a little, letting the fresh sunlight hit it just right. Archer merely gave a smile. The two had been training hard the past few days, and now, tomorrow, the War would begin. All of their training in tactics, each of their strengths and weaknesses, all of their preparations, all of it would be put to the test starting tomorrow. Rin shook somewhat as she lifted the ring to the beaming sunlight.

 _Archer… how are you so calm in all this?_ She thought to herself, hoping he was concentrating on his work with the bones of the wolfling, rather than her thoughts. _You've been through quite a lot haven't you? Are you truly what I created? Are you one of the wood elves I dreamt up one night to win this war? Or did I pluck you from a true forgotten legend?_ The words drifted through Rin's mind as she stared listlessly at him. His reciprocating gaze broke hers. "Sorry. Lost in thought. How's… whatever you are making coming along?"

Archer hoisted above his head the spinal column of the creature. Spotless of any meat, blemishes, or any cracks, the bone had been fused together into one long shaft, and a significantly deep spiral had been put into its sides that ended in a point, and a handle of sorts at the end. "This, is the last of the parts honestly. There is one more part but… that I will save for later."

Rin tilted her head a little at him, but went back to the gigantic 'arrow' he had crafted. "When and how would you be able to use this Archer? Do you have any plans for this?"

"If we are to take down that… creature that Al'ana summoned, we will need something that could damage it physically and not just magically. This is that weapon. Or… at least our best chance at it I believe."

Rin nodded as she examined it more. "You are right. They are our greatest threat. This could prove to hurt him, but we won't know until it is time. For now, we need to rest once you are finished. We… are going into a War tomorrow." Rin's gaze drifted from the spinal arrow to the window not far off as the sun held itself in the sky. Everything looked so serene and beautiful. Soon, she knew, as did Archer, that it would all change.

* * *

Day broke with a flurry of feelings. Rin awoke to a stomach churning with pain, fear, sadness, apprehension and nervousness, but she held them down quickly, dressing and coming down to the meeting room that her and Archer had designated as their 'war room' of sorts. Archer was already there in the library, finishing up the last parts of the clothing, weapons, and extra bits that could be used. Rin had already did all she could with the more magical bits of the creature, and now they all lay on the table, waiting to be picked back up. The parts she was able to use held a lot of innate magical energies, and with some careful runes drawn on or special drawing out of their power, Rin was able to make quite a few devices for their use. A rope that could attach itself to nothing, a whistle that could call small animals of the user's choice to aid them, bracers that helped Rin with her crossbow, two rings of bones set with a warding gem in them, and finally…

"Is that what I think it is?" Archer said, inspecting the things across the table. He picked up the item in question, and pointed to it, "How will this be helpful?"

The item was a hilt of sorts, fashioned from a single bone from the frontal paws of the wolfling, decorated with a bright red ruby for a pommel and etched with runes on the handle, wrapped in leather. Inside it, bone marrow was still present, and visible. But that was all there was, a hilt with a jeweled pommel. "It will be useful when the time comes. I hope I never actually have to use it. It's… pretty powerful to say the least. But I'll only be able to use it once."

"That powerful huh? Well, I feel like I've been out powered." He said with a grin, thankful that his master and friend was so capable.

 _Friend?_ Archer thought to himself. _Does she see me as… more than just a servant? More than just a weapon for war?_

Archer's eyes glazed over in the rising sun as their rays reached over the other houses, lost in thought. His mind raced at what his master truly thought of him, as well as about this war. He had taken her orders in stride, as if something compelled him to do it, but now that it was here, and no orders had been given in some time, he was free to think. What did he want from this? In fact…

"Rin," Archer said, moving his eyes back to her, "How was I summoned?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, I thought I had… made you. But, from all of our practice, our hunting, and just seeing you… be… there's no way I made you. I must have summoned you from somewhere either in history or from legend. Whoever told their story of you… they made you a force to be reckoned with…" Rin said, as she moved the rings in her hands.

"Do you remember the story you made? Do you have it written down?" He asked, moving a bit closer.

"Well, I destroyed the original copy. I… I wanted to insure no one could hurt you by finding it. But… I heard it from a child before everyone left. It didn't… it did not sound nearly the same. If I remember right, it made you a being from a cave, instead of the forest."

A vision of Garland shot through Archer's mind. Rin continued.

"A grand forest, where you all lived in trees. You each had your own jobs, and were defined by them. The ones who didn't were given names by qualities… I came up with a few other people that you knew… A guy who helped with the hunting team, but usually set small snares and drops for smaller animals; I think I named him—," she was cut off, as Archer looked to her eyes wide, remembering his friend dying; swollen and bloody from the disease that wracked his body.

"Trapper…"

"Ye… What? How did you…" Rin said surprised. She had left the idea that she truly made Archer far back in her mind, and as far back as their sparring match with the golems in the forest. Perhaps it was possible. The magic used in the summoning ritual was not unfamiliar to her, but the magic of summoning these… legends and myths were. The power was unreal, and the magic felt unfamiliar and otherworldly. She was sure that she could not have given her own myth life, but going back to that time, the power… Surely it couldn't have…

"Go on Rin. Do you remember anymore names? Anything else about the story?" Archer said, his eyes now narrow.

Rin remembered the story she had woven together now that it was coming back. The group of elves lived happily in the forests, were attacked by another group of elves who tried to drive them out of their lands. They held their ground well, but were attacked by an unseen enemy; a disease. They had no way of stopping it, except the two elves that were left; Archer, and Light, his one true companion. The heir to the throne and a beautiful woman that fell in love with him. The two joined the other group of elves that saw them as gods for surviving the plague that all but wiped them out as well, and were raised to the thrones of their pantheon. Past that however, Rin merely made a happily ever after story, where the elves prospered. She took a deep breath, and began.

"You lived with your group well. You abide by nature's laws, and took what you could from the environment without taking too much. You were at peace with nature. You had a girl you fell in love with… and another group tried to take your land. You fought them off, but they sent something to your people that devastated you… All but… but…" She took another deep breath, "All but you and your companion; The Light of the Night."

Archer slammed his fist onto the table, scaring Rin who was drifting off in the tale. His eyes were filled with tears as the memories came flooding back. Light's face, his friends, the forest, Garland; everything came rushing back to him. The pain he saw on their faces flashed through his mind. But something was amiss. Her story, while having some truths, left something out. After a few moments, he controlled himself. "Wait… there were… people who attacked?"

"Yes. Another race of elves attacked your group. They unleashed the disease upon you. And you and The Light of the Night were all that survived… I wouldn't have such a huge conflict be resolved by everyone except you dying. That's… cruel." Rin replied as she gathered her thoughts. "Why? Is there something wrong with my story?"

"Rin, we were never attacked by anyone. That… disease just assaulted us. And Light… she… she did not survive."

Rin stared at him for what felt like an eternity. Her mind was racing as to what could have happened to cause the story to become so warped and corrupt. Did she tell the wrong people and they told it wrong? Did it change this much in such a short span of time? Did… she really create Archer? Too many questions raced through her head as tears welled up in her eyes. She caused him so much pain, and she could do nothing to fix it. Or could she?

"Archer. If we win this war, we get a wish don't we?" She said, the tears now gone and a bright smile on her face.

"If that is what the contract said then… I suppose."

"Why don't we wish your land and people better again? Bring back your friends, Light, the tree you live in! Everything. We'll bring it all back. Then you can go back to… to a happier place… and a live a happier life." The more she thought of it, she felt as if it were the right thing to do, and the only thing she should do if they were to win. If she had really made him, then it was only fair she right the wrongs she sent into his life.

Archer thought on it a moment, and looked to her with a determined look. "If that is the wish you want Rin, then so be it. We will make that wish when the time comes." A small smile crept across his face before the first bell of the morning came, signifying that the masters were to meet in front of the cathedral, at a large fountain; the same fountain covered in blood from the summoning of Al'ana's servant.

"Let's go Archer. We have a war to win," She said, gathering the things on the table into a small bag before standing. Archer grabbed her hand as she began to walk off, stopping her in her tracks. As Rin turned, before her, in his hand, lay a dagger of sorts. It was beautiful and white, with a few red gems set into the grip and topped with a large one at the end. "This was the other piece I had been working on, with the spine of the beast. It is yours. Use it only if you must. And…" He turned his body, displaying the garb that he had made her from the wolfling and the other animals they had felled.

The leather was black as night, reflecting no light in the slightest. The top to it was tight, but fit well and was made for mobility, while the jacket displayed a cowl of black fur lining on the inside and around the rim. It felt imbued with a magical essence of sorts as well. A wall of force seemed to surround her, so no incoming projectiles could get through. The lower half was much the same as the top, and ended in a pair of shoes with a low raised heel. Once the boots were on, Rin felt lighter; as if she could jump over the manor if she wanted. The last bit of the outfit was a set of gloves that stopped just before the bracelets. Once on, she could feel something course through her; as if a strength she never knew was now with her. "Archer… did you… make all this for me?" She said, before turning to him, his bow across his back, and the rest of his attire on as well. His outfit was more akin to a stalker in the forest. Black leather as well, but a bit looser, with a cowl that was deep, hiding his face. Arrows of bone with ends made of sharpened wolfling teeth waited at the ready in his quiver, and the bone like blades were at the ready at his sides. His top had no sleeves, but tight gloves that went to his elbows that looked bulky, but easy to move in. For the bottom half he had pants of black loose leather, and shoes that left no sound at all with each step. "I said I would make some for us both. I didn't lie now did I?" He said before opening the door to the foyer, "Let's go Rin, we have other Masters and Servants to meet."

With that, the two exited the manor, and began their walk to the cathedral steps.

* * *

The meeting was a strange one to say the least. The combatants of the coming war surrounded the fountain, their masters close to them. Archer and Rin walked up to their spot in the half circle, looking at the other five combatants.

"Ah good," said a familiar voice next to them. Lancer stood stoic and straight as an arrow as her master turned slightly to greet them, "Glad you all made a recovery as we did."

Rin brushed it off, and kept her eyes straight as she replied to him, "We would not have needed to recover in the first place had you not interfered with us in the forest. Honestly… The nerve." She pointed her nose upwards, drawing a face of anger as she did, "We are respected members of our families. The least you could do is show some respect for our positions in this war. Instead, you acted as a weak coward would, going for a quick and dishonorable kill. You acted like a thief and his pet rat."

Lancer's eyes glared with an intense anger that made her eyes almost seem as if they were aflame. She turned slightly, biting her lip to hold her tongue back until a raised hand to halt from her master came. "It's quite alright Lancer. We were in the wrong. We must simply prove ourselves to her now." He said with a smile that displayed his fear and anger.

"Oh no, we have a bickering couple in our midst," Rider said aloud, before placing a hand over her mouth and giving a shocked expression.

"Rider! What was that? Come on… We don't need to be so… so…" Annan said as he stammered over his words, trying to control his servant.

"Calm down Annan. You aren't the only little fish I can catch." She said with a seductive smile and a bit of laughter.

Sophia merely stared across the fountain at her friend Rin, amazed at what she looked like now. She remembered hearing her friend might be in this war from her servant Assassin, but she had put the idea away as a misunderstanding on Anna's part. "Rin, I saw her with a Servant; Archer if I had to guess. She has to be a master in this. There's no other way."

Sophia had her doubts, but this confirmed it. She didn't want to fight her friend. Her and Rin had known each other since they were hardly old enough to speak, and had a friendly rivalry of sorts between the two with their magic, but this…

"Why Anna? Why do we have to fight them?" Sophia said quietly to Assassin.

"Perhaps we don't have to Sophia. The rules never stated you couldn't form alliances with another Master. We'll need to meet with them on peaceful terms though; do you think you can arrange that? Or shall I?" She said with a mischievous smile.

"No-no-no! I can! Don't worry!" Her face grew a deep red before she turned away pouting.

A yawn came from a small brown girl next to them. She looked as if she had woken up only moments before; her eyes half open and dark circles underneath. "Why is everyone so noisy? Can't we go back to bed Yunda~?" She drew out the name of her master at the end as she flung herself on his side. He held her up with his arm as best he could. "Come on Caster. Get up. We're supposed to be here for a meeting. This'll give us a lot of information on our enemies and stuff."

"Who," she paused for a yawn, "Who needs that? We're gonna win this without a hitch. You should have more faith in me. I can cast some awesome spells you know… You've… you've…" her eyes drooped as she leaned even more on her master, and began to snore.

"What am I going to do with you?" Reinalt said with a sigh.

Near the steps sat a boy of hardly thirteen with golden hair and fair skin next to a man that was closer to a few tan boulders mashed together to form a human shape. "Saber, are we ready for this?" Said the boy as he ran circles with his finger on the ground.

"We must be. This is the time the war will start. Just remember what we learned and we shall be fine young master. I am here to protect you as well as win this war. We shall prevail!" He said triumphantly as he sat next to his ward.

The stage was ready, and the actors were all set, except for two. "Archer, do you see Al'ana anywhere?"

"I have been looking, but I don't see them even within Melephast… They… may be far from here." Archer replied as his eyes darted around.

Silence passed between all of the participants as they waited for this meeting to commence and the war to begin. Each Master and Servant scanned the others, eyeing for weaknesses, hints at what the servant could be, or hints at the strengths of the master in tow. Each held their own secrets and their own tactics, and soon, they would see each of them in action.

The doors to the cathedral swung open with immense force, causing a fear to shoot through the group of combatants. Everyone jumped, except for Saber and his master, who merely stood, waiting for the overseer of the war to begin.

The king stepped out of the cathedral, robed and regal as ever, with a smile that could reflect the daylight. With his advisor close by and robed, he began his speech to the combatants.

"Mages! I greet you today on the first day of the first Holy War of our nations! This city of Melephast will become a battlefield like no other in the coming days. You all have your own strengths and weaknesses to account for, but do not despair! You all are capable of great and powerful things! This war will test each of the might, magic, mettle, and determination that you wield. You are all capable of winning this war, but only one team will achieve their victory and obtain their wish! Now, if you are all ready, my advisor will give you a few guidelines to go by."

He cleared his throat as Leysritt stepped up beside him. "Thank you sir. A few words before we begin. This fountain, as well as this cathedral, along with the King's abode, is safe ground for you all. You may come here for rest if your previous places of rest are destroyed, uninhabitable, or unfit for you. The war will end once a winner is decided. Aside from these few rules, you are free to attack any who are outside of places of rest or safe areas. The war begins at the next sound of the hour. You are all free to do as you wish from then on." She took a bow soon after this, "May this war prove fruitful. Good luck combatants!" She said with a loud voice, as the combatants readied themselves.

The clock showed that only thirty minutes remained of the hour. Once the advisor finished, the king began once more. "The war begins soon! I hope you have all prepared! Leave now, and show us your strengths!"

With that, the combatants fled to make their preparations. Lancer and Shin retreated down the road they came in on, while Saber and his small master rushed upwards to the King's abode. Rider and Annan left slowly, back to the inn they came from, and then, to their sewer home. Archer and Rin, Assassin and Sophia, and Caster and Reinalt stood in their same spots, somewhat apprehensive.

"Well they sure left in a hurry," Assassin said, letting her other eyes get some sunshine. "I was getting tired of keeping those closed. It's tougher than it looks to keep these four closed Sophia," She said, poking her arm and puffing her cheeks out a little. "Why'd we even need to do that anyway? Pretty sure everyone here could see I'm a servant."

Sophia received the pokes with a sigh before looking to her servant. "Right right. I understand. Well I just wanted to make sure no one else was around. It's fine isn't it? You didn't go through that much trouble," She giggled with her hand over her mouth.

As Assassin continued her explanation of how much trouble she went through, Caster moved to the fountain and laid down, resting her hands below her head, as if she were to sleep there. "Yunda… can you come here so I can rest my head on your lap?" She said in a whiny voice. Once Reinalt did not reply, nor come over, she shot up quickly. "Come on~! Please~?" she said again, holding the words out a little, to appear cute, or perhaps appeal to him somehow. A sigh was all that came in reply for a moment. "Come on Caster. We need to get ready for all of this don't you think? We can't just stay here."

"Yes we can! Who said we can't!? Just shut up and get over here!" She said angrily, sitting back up from her laying position. She seemed almost like a child to Rin and Archer.

"Rin… who are these people?" Archer asked quietly, ever at the ready. "They seem to think this war is some… game of sorts."

Rin looked around the fountain area to what she was seeing. A child that looked like a white haired woman from the southern countries, with the temperament to fit her size, and a man from the mountains that could only be the head family's son; and an old friend whom she hadn't seen in nearly six years, with a woman that had skin the color of the sun and the same white hair as the last, six red eyes, and a nature that showed her to be almost a bit too playful. Sophia stood giggling, her midnight black hair moving ever so slightly with each laugh. As her eyes opened, Rin could see her eyes still held that brilliant purple glow. Her dressed matched her eyes beautifully as she stood in the rising sunlight. She looked across the fountain, and locked eyes with Rin. A small wave with a frown came from her, and Rin did the same, before stepping into the area proper, and making her way over to Sophia.

Reinalt and Caster both took notice, and watched as she made her way, with Archer in tow. As she approached, Assassin took notice as well, and straightened herself up from her previous stance of poking fun at Sophia. "Can we help you?" She said, once the two were within speaking distance.

"Your master and I need to talk a little. Is that alright?" Rin asked, as politely as she could.

Caster and Reinalt looked on as Rin and Assassin stood in a heated stare, waiting for an answer. Quietly, Caster stood, and made her way around the back of the fountain, where Rin and Archer had come from. "Let's go Yunda. We'll take a stroll before we head back to prepare. No reason to stay here now," She said, shuffling off, now with enough energy coursing through her to start the day.

In twenty minutes, the first day of the Holy War would truly begin.


	10. Chapter 9

"I did just as you said, 'Master,'" the word held venom as it was spat at Annan, "we fled to our abode to prepare as you asked." A sigh came from the snake-like woman as she sat at the edge of the pool. Annan was terrified. This entire thing was truly about to happen. He had to make his family proud, but he didn't want to die. The summoning of Al'ana's servant still sent shivers into his body and chilled him to the bone; the fear far colder than anything he had felt before.

"Did you see Al'ana and that creature anywhere nearby? Can you sense them?" He asked Rider, shaking.

"I didn't care to look honestly," She said with a smile that disgusted him. She was beautiful beyond any woman he had seen back home or in his travels, but she exhumed a feeling that every action she made, there was something behind it that was entirely for her gain. Even this phrase… He could feel it.

 _You didn't care?_ He thought to himself, before standing up and moving closer to her. "Do you have any idea how powerful that thing could be?! It needed all that… stuff to even be summoned! What the hell do you think it could be capable of?! That thing could kill us with one fell swoop!"

A scaled hand came up to Annan's throat, hoisting him upwards over Rider's head. "Now Master… are you sure you want to make me angry? I know full well the power of that… servant. It has far more fighting prowess than I, and most likely more than all of the others. He will not be taken down alone. He is not in the city, I know for certain. I have a plan. Do not worry." She let him down gently, and let go of his throat, to which he let breathe enter him again, gasping and gagging.

"I suppose I am a bit stronger in this form. I still need more power, or at least…" She trailed off, before turning to her master, eyes narrowed. "Annan, will you retrieve some parchment for me?" She said with the same smile as before, this time giving it more of a lustful look. Annan answered quickly, mostly out of fear as he ran to a small side area and retrieved a sheet of paper and handed it to her. "Good good. I'm glad you still listen. Now… I will summon a few things to help us. Do not be alarmed. Understood?"

Annan nodded, scared to speak anymore. He then proceeded to watch the ritual take place. Rider's tongue extended to the parchment, and began to leak a black inky substance as she drew the symbols she needed. After a moment, it was done. And after a few words that Annan could not place, she threw it into the pool she sat in. As time passed and the sound of the water rushing through took hold of him, Annan snapped out of his stupor, and looked to Rider once more.

"So… what did that spell do?" he asked, moving a few steps closer to Rider. "I don't see anything."

"Come closer Annan. Come look into the pool." She replied. It was an order, not a suggestion. Annan, fearful as always, came closer and saw his reflection in the pool. He could see a few bags under his eyes and a few blemishes here and there, but aside from that, he looked as he remembered.

"Look a bit closer Annan, what do you see?" She said as she moved closer to him as well.

Beneath the water, he could see the long tail of Rider whipping back and forth slowly, and the deep dark bottom of the pool. Soon however, another image came to him as two yellow eyes rose from the depths, attaching themselves over the reflections eyes. After this, it began to rise out of the pool, slowly but surely, before reaching for the edge, and pulling itself out. As it did, others followed suit. A total of ten of these water creatures came up. "Now, my Näkki, go forth and monitor the surface for me. If you can, try and hurt the others that are in this city. Find the masters and servants, and kill them."

The creatures understood completely, and gave a tilted head smile, as they all began to change their bodies. Soon, they all grew into a shape that could be considered female, then, they shaped and molded themselves to have more pleasing features. Larger lips, long hair, big bust, large rear, long legs, thin waist; the attractiveness of each of them seemed to skyrocket as the shaping and molding finished. They all looked up to their master, and all spoke in unison. "Do these forms please you master?"

"Perfect. Now go. Sway them and find out as much as you can. Come back if there is trouble." She said with a commanding voice. They all dove into the pool, giggling and laughing as they went on their errands and disappeared before them.

Annan looked up to Rider, who was deep in thought. Arms crossed, she looked down to him out of the corner of her eye. "You know that we will need to fight soon correct? If we wish to win, we must fight. There is no other way truly."

Annan nodded once more, looking back into the pool. "I have many more tricks prepared Annan. We will win this. Be prepared. Anything will happen when this war truly begins."

* * *

Back at the Inn, Paul Bracken brought out the food that was delivered that morning from the King's men. He had spent the morning preparing something for the two girls once they returned from their meeting. However, once the door opened, he saw the girls in his care, as well as two new faces before him. A tall man of brown skin and white hair, and the daughter of the ruling mage family, Rin Tohsaka, both clad in gear befitting hunters in stories or those that live in the wilds far off. He stumbled back a little in shock before welcoming them. "Welcome back you two. Who're those two with you?"

Assassin moved over to the table and slumped into a seat, dejected somewhat due to the forwardness of the two with them. "They're Sophia's friends… Or something…" She laid her head down and looked away. "I can't believe they just walked up and talked… I was ready for a little fight at least… Prey that complies is never fun." She mumbled away with more things as food was set in front of her.

"They aren't prey Anna. Rin's my friend, and Archer her servant," She huffed at her, as Assassin turned her head still resting on the table. "and we are here to discuss a few things. The same things we both wanted to. Now… sit up straight like a proper woman, please?" She said in an authoritative voice.

Assassin reluctantly straightened herself up, placed her hands in her lap and let out a sigh. "Fine fine. Now, let's eat and get down to business. I'm sure all of us want to end this war quickly, correct?"

Mr. Bracken set the rest of the food down as Sophia sat next to her servant. Rin and Archer still stood at the door. "Excuse us sir," She said with a bow before stepping in, "All we must do is speak with Sophia and her guest. Your hospitality is much appreciated. I've been told much of the Lone Drake from my father and his subordinates. Why are you still here Mr. Bracken?"

 _She knows who I am?_ He thought to himself before clearing his throat and answering. "Well when I was told that the city'd be home to a battle of mages, I couldn't think of anything else besides of staying. If anything were to happen to this old Inn, I'd be heartbroken. She's all I have really. I'll defend her in any way I can. There's more than one way to fight and defend, that's for certain. If anything this here will be the last building standing in Melephast even if I gotta hold up the support beams myself." He finished with a grin of pride.

"I have no doubt to that sir. You are a strong fighter, and a gifted individual, that is certain. I look forward to coming here once the war is over under better conditions." Rin replied giving another bow. She was every bit the noble woman that Paul had heard of and seen. In her time with the citizens of Melephast, she was always looked to as a gentle individual who respected the townsfolk as they should be. They were people after all. As Rin said to her father when she was young, "They are just like you and I. Money and power should not matter."

"Please have a seat ma'am. I'll fetch some more food for you and your companion. It's the least I can do." He said before scurrying off to the back.

Rin took her seat next to Sophia, as Archer sat next to Assassin. "Don't try anything dumb, you… brown… person." Assassin said, squinting at Archer with all six of her eyes. Sophia kicked the legs of her servant, a calm demeanor plastered on her face as she did. Assassin received the punishment and halted the rest of her words, and apologized. "Let's… get this over with please… I wanna eat in peace." She said as she rubbed her legs beneath the table.

"Of course. We don't have long," Rin said, turning to Sophia, "Sophia, this… war… do you know much more about it? All we truly know is what was in the letter sent to us. Or… father rather. We've trained for some time and tried to research about the other houses some but… we never really thought of what all this is. Do you have any inkling of an idea about how this all came about?"

"We are in the dark as much as you Rin. Grandfather said that he couldn't participate in this… tournament of show, so I had to. I had no objections but still… I didn't think we would actually be fighting one another." Sophia replied, taking a small sip of water.

"Perhaps we don't have to. An alliance was never in the rules, nor against them. We could always form some sort of truce before things get out of hand. I'd rather not face off against you Sophia. We've been friends for so long, and I've finally got to see you again. We can win this war together, right?"

"It's what Assassin and I were discussing before the Advisor and the King came to talk to us all. It would increase our odds of winning for certain."

"Then… we'll help each other?"

"Of course!"

A smile came across Rin's face. She felt a little more at ease as the delicious smell of breakfast wafted through the air as Paul brought out more food for the two of them. "You should be grateful," Assassin said, a playful smile forming on her face, "I mean, look at this food. We got a professional cook in our midst," She began shoveling food into her mouth as if this were her last meal. She gave a gentle hum as she ate swiftly. The others did the same. The meeting was a strange one, but one that needed to happen. Sophia and Rin both had much they wanted to discuss, but more important matters were at hand, and had to be finished today.

"I wish we could have talked more Rin…" Sophia as she watched Assassin try to rub the amenities she had been given into Archer's face while he sat there enjoying his meal; ignoring her the entire time she talked. Rin looked over to Sophia who met her gaze. "I do too Sophia. That will have to wait until after the war I suppose. How about we meet here, once the war is over? Paul can cook for us and all of the returning cityfolk?"

Sophia gave her a gentle smile, as did Assassin.

 _Sophia… you trust far too easily._ Assassin thought to herself, watching the two masters talk. _But that's what I love most about you. You care… far too much at times… but you care. Even for someone like me._

The group continued their meal and conversation. Soon, it was time for Archer and Rin to leave. They left to prepare themselves for the war as well one last time, and to leave Assassin and Sophia to their own devices.

"You still sure about this Sophia? Can we really trust them?" Assassin said, already knowing the answer.

"Of course I am sure Assassin! Stop that! Rin wouldn't betray me. Not after everything… we've been through as children." Sophia said, growing quieter as she ended.

Assassin got up and scooted over to Sophia in the seat, nudging her shoulder with her own. "Alright. We'll get through this war and we'll survive somehow. It may be hard, but I believe in us." She said with a smile, before leaning on Sophia a little more. "Is it alright if we go back to sleep for a little bit? I'm exhausted already… that food is too good."

With a gentle giggle, Sophia patted Assassin's head, before a crash outside sent them to their feet and to the door.

* * *

The wind blew softly through the trees and across the face of the woman as she galloped next to her servant. The servant was considerably larger than her, displaying his ashen skin in the morning sun as he ran next to her atop her horse. He was a terrifying sight to behold, but the woman found him to be a pillar of strength and resolve.

On they rode. Through the forest they rode towards the capital they would make their battleground.

"A cleric," the woman said, mostly to herself, "That is the role you filled. You are far from that. You… you are a warrior." She said as she looked to her servant with pride.

He reminded her of a story her father told her long ago. A legend of sorts passed down by the people of the plains, the people united under her tribe. The Sky Father and Earth Mother brought all into existence. Her tribe, the Ya'harl, come from a long line of rulers, and the Sky Father and Earth Mother were their true ancestors. Today, that tradition still holds true, as well as the facts of death and life on the plains.

When time began, the Earth Mother and Sky Father created children; Humans. These humans lived with the Earth mother for a time, tending to her fields, keeping nature in balance, and taking only what they needed to survive. Soon however, their lives with the Earth Mother grew to a close, and their soul went to the Sky Father. The Sky Father made them into warriors for his realm; creating vast armies that went against those that opposed him and the Earth Mother. Once he deemed your duty fulfilled with in the skies, you could be given a new life as a human if you did well. The cycle continues and never ends. "Humans were created to die for our Sky Father. He gives us life and grants us death. Our memories of our times with him last in our blood and bodies, but not in our minds." Al'ana said, before looking to her servant.

 _Tengri._

The word rang in her mind. The name of the Sky Father.

Her eyes focused on road ahead, as well as the city in the closing distance which was their destination.

"I swear on my name, I swear on my father's name, and my mother's name. We shall not fall. We shall win! THE SKY FATHER IS WITH ME!" She exclaimed as loud as she could in her native tongue. With her yelled ending, her servant let out a war cry as well, but his felt as if the earth itself would bend to his will alone.

* * *

Caster skipped and hopped down the cobbled road as Reinalt walked slowly behind. "Was there any reason why we stuck around as long as we did? You told me to wait and play along while at that… meeting." He said as he ran his hand on the rising stone wall as the slope declined.

"Just to see if the others would do something. I left them a little gift in the water…" She said, bouncing on the stones that were jutting upwards out of the road more than the others.

"Just like the stuff you made for me at our base?" His voice cut through the air with a sense of anger. "I don't like being deceived Caster. What did you do?"

She stopped her hopping and spun on one of the rocks. "I'm trying to win this war and protect us by any means. I'm here to win and to keep you safe. I needed you resting and asleep in our base so that I could… do the work I did. I'll tell you all about it later. I promise. If you are strong enough to know what I did to you… you may be more use than just my little mana pot." She said with an honestly happy smile. "I can't to tell you… truly."

Reinalt didn't understand. Did she not trust him at all? Was there something he wasn't getting about this war? He'd seen battles happen in the mountains. Creatures fighting and dying to each other's hands, and men doing the same to themselves; it was life in the mountain. He'd taken the lives of savage creatures starved on the mountains before, and he had brushes with death quite often with the risk of falling ever present. What was it that she feared he would not understand?

"Come. Let's hurry home. We are going to go back to bed. The magic I have is far more effective at night. We'll be able see where everyone else is as well." She said, turning back around and heading towards their home once more. As they trotted along nearer they home, they could see a few people sitting directly next to their house. "What are those Caster?"

"Nuisances. That's what," Caster uncrossed her arms, and seemed to move her fingers in soft slow circles. "Be ready for anything Reinalt. These things… aren't human."

Reinalt could only see women whom he only fantasized about. Pure white skin, hair of varying colors, and voluptuous bodies moved as fluidly as water next to their abode. Was his mind deceived? They appeared human to him.

"Looks are deceiving. Look at me. I have far more power than almost all of those servants combined, but I sure don't look it. Just ignore them if they come by. We'll need to divert somewhere else and then circle back after we lose them." She said quietly to him, before twisting her pinkies in the counter direction to her other fingers.

Yunda looked down to her, noticing her fingers. _She's casting a spell… this must be serious. I should… I should ready something._ He thought, before placing his hands behind his back.

"I don't think we need a full on fight here… we may just need to get away," Caster said, her fingers still in a flurry, "But if we must, are you ready?"

"More than ready. I have been waiting to try these spells off the mountain." He gave her a smile.

Their walk continued as the creatures began to take notice of them. As they neared, the women began to stand, or move towards them, giggling or coos of want coming from them. _Charm spells. Who the hell uses those?!_ Caster thought, before seeing her Master's eyes rolling around in his head as he looked them up and down. A harsh hit to the ribs sent an exclamation of pain into the air, as well as signaled their pounce.

The duo began to run down the nearest alleyway with Yunda at the lead. The alley was a long shadowy crevasse between two high buildings connecting to a small open of sorts that then ran through to the middle road through Melephast. The light could barely pierce the alley as Reinalt stumbled over his own feet towards the clearing. Caster gave a large audible sigh, jumping sideways through the shadows on the wall, passing Yunda and appearing in front of him. "God you are slow! Pick your feet up!" She said, before rushing forward, creating some distance between her and Yunda. Looking behind, he could see the creatures now changing and moving in strange ways. Their arms stretching farther than normal or extra appendages coming to meet the ground or wall to keep themselves moving; they began to look more and more inhuman like as the distance between them all increased.

Into the clearing now, Caster was already on the other side in the shadows, still rushing through, running at some speed Reinalt had never seen. Shadows danced around her as each foot hit the ground, and as her hands danced down the side of the walls, more shadows began to creep up the wall. The clearing had a few back doors to the large buildings, and a small well for those coming and going, as well as a few old stalls now abandoned. A small market is all this could have been, with the back doors of larger establishments or even inns pouring into here. Some chalk marks could be seen on the ground where a child had been playing some sort of game or simply drawing. Now however, the only inhabitant was a young man running for his life from creatures he thought before to be women of lust. He dashed around the small well, losing his footing a little and stumbling into one of the stalls. It held fast as he caught himself from the fall, and looked back to see the creatures moving as water through the alley, coming towards him as a tidal wave of faces, body parts and a myriad of sounds. He looked to the next alley. It was much farther than what he expected, but he should be able to make it. The creatures were much faster than what he had previously thought. If he could make it to the street where Caster was, surely they could beat them if they funneled out. He shot up, and began to make his way again to the entryway. The next alley looked nearly pitch black with darkness as he rounded the corner around it. _What magic am I stepping in!? How can caster do this!?_ He thought, before he plunged into it. He felt his body rush through a cold expanse, and felt something like sand below his feet before he was on the other side of the alley, Caster waiting with her hands on her hips. "That took you a while. How close were they?"

Gasping a little, he replied, "When I went through, they had just gotten past that little well." He looked up just in time to see her snap her fingers. And wait. The shadows began to disperse soon after the snap rang out. Once the shadows dissipated, the other side of the wall showed no creatures of any sort, and no amorphous person shuffling through the alley. They were simply… gone.

"How about that for offensive magic? Bet ya didn't see that coming huh?" She said dancing around as she spoke, her arms thrusting into the air as she moved. She looked more akin to a child winning a game of skill for the first time than a terrifying and powerful caster of sorts.

Soon after she spoke a blob of mass about half the size of those that were chasing them, landed in front of them and began to split and form into what they once were, this time however, clawed fingers extend from their hands, and their figures change to prepare for the fight at hand. "Well dammit. I spoke too soon. Yunda, are you ready?"

Reinalt had already grabbed a rock from the ground and was halfway done with his incantation when Caster asked. The rock was just large enough to be used for what he needed. A jagged rocky line began to form from his pinky down to his wrist, and sharpen itself to a razor edge. The same happened to his other arm as well. He lowered himself in a stance, and readied himself. "It's as good as it's going to get. I'm ready…"

Caster rolled up her sleeves, and traced a few lines with her fingers before grabbing her whip from her back. "Let's make this quick please. I'd rather like to rest before we need to look around tonight."

The creatures lunged for Reinalt. As they came down with their claws, his arms caught them, rock against their strangely sharp claws. He pushed them off as Caster's whip cracked into their side, her target letting out a shriek of pain. "Ha! Take that!" She exclaimed before rearing back for another strike.

The one she attacked broke off from the other, and began to make its way to Caster. Reinalt rushed over to it, slashing with his jagged rocky arms through the creature. It cut through the creature easily, sending some of its watery flesh to the ground to die in the sun. The other took the opportunity to rush Yunda's back, digging its claws deep into him. A sharp pain shot through him, but he resisted. Caster hopped back, and cracked her whip into the creature's side, causing it to double over and have to reform itself.

"It looks like… these are the only two. The other got caught in the shadows," Yunda said, clutching his side. Caster could see the cuts in Yunda's back now. They bled a deep crimson she was used to seeing in her past. A color she was all too familiar with. She stepped up next to him, grabbing the dagger she had in its sheath behind her back as well. "Let's finish this. Those need to be looked at as soon as possible."

The creature that was more whole rushed him once more, this time aiming low to his thigh's and knees. As the strike came in, Yunda leapt forward, with his arms extended to cut through the back of the creature. His maneuver hit home, and cut down the spine of the creature, if there was one, severing it in two.

Caster turned to the last creature, still hurt and limping somewhat from Yunda's first attack. "Run home to your master. Tell her that her sickness doesn't affect us, and you all should be aware that I have already countered her little water spouts." She said as she cracked her whip. "Or would you rather stay and be taken into the Sonnimne as well?" She gave a wide eyed stare along with a terrifying smile before the creature turned to some sort of goop and seeped into the street.

With the action dying down, and the adrenaline now subsiding, Reinalt looked to his servant, amazed. "What… was that… shadow stuff?" He said between hard breaths.

"I said I will tell you everything. Not here however. We need to get home now. No one else is around for at least half a mile. We need to get home and get you treated. It seems that serpent has more nefarious tricks that what I could see." She said, getting in front of him and gripping his hand tightly. "I'll guard you. You'll survive this. I promise you that. We will both be ready for the night to come."

* * *

Archer and Rin exited soon after they finished. Rin gave a gentle stretch as the morning sun was reaching over a few more buildings than before. "We only have a few more minutes, correct? Do we need to go back to the estate?"

"I don't believe there is much else we can do to prepare. It is the first day of the war. All we can do is ready ourselves for any enemy now." Archer replied, his eyes ever vigilant in the act of scanning the environment.

The area they were in was not far from the fountain, but just out of reach of the non-combat zone. About one hundred feet away, both of them could feel a barrier being erected as they spoke. "Must be nice being so close to that thing. Sophia and Assassin have it easy."

"They are in this war. I don't think anyone has it easy Rin."

"You knew what I meant," She gave a heavy sigh before looking down the small slope to the next flattened area. The place was deserted, but there were still many street carts, vendor stands, and various other structures that were simply left by the merchants that had set up shop on the last few days. Most were in shoddy condition, but still usable, and still some had random bits of merchandise that could not or didn't need to be taken. In the center of the area, stood a broad shouldered man with a sword in its sheath in one hand, and a shield in the other, displaying the emblem of House Champion on it. He was taller than Rin and Archer, but also much taller than any man in the city that Rin had ever seen. He looked bred for battle and ready for any fight. His skin was lightly tanned and his golden hair wavered in the wind like fields of wheat atop his shoulders as his green eyes shown a sense of courage, bravery, and pride towards the duo above them. He smiled brightly at them, and have a ceremonial greeting of the house his master was under; He swept his shielded left hand in front of him, and raised it to his right shoulder, and gave a slight bow. His young master did the same in unison. Next to him stood the youngest of the Masters; and the youngest of the Champion bloodline. A boy nearly as tall as Rin, but quite a bit younger. His lanky frame stood engulfed by the cloak around him, making him appear far larger than he truly was. He moved forward slightly, and exclaimed. "Hello! I am Ignus Champion! The representative to the Champion House! The war is to commence soon, and you shall be our first opponent. Do you agree to this?"

The duo looked to one another outside of Sophia's house, and gave each other a grin. _Champion? I thought that's who it was._ Rin thought to herself, and Archer as well. _They aren't the best with magic. Better than the Al'ana's people, but still pretty bland and easy to follow. They do have good tactics for battle however. Most of the magic they have in reserve is used for stamina regeneration, or quick weapon enhancement._

 _Understood Rin. Let us be formal about this however. It seems they want a fight that is somewhat fair and expected. I have no qualms with that._ Archer replied, commenting on their introduction.

They agreed, and gave the greeting from Melephast in exchange; right hand extended slightly to the side, and then swept upwards to the chest, placed on the sternum, and a slight bow with a nod. "We accept your fight," They said in unison, "Prepare yourselves!"

Once their sentence finished, a single blink and the two at the market area were gone, leaving but a whirl of dust in their wake. Rin and Archer leapt backwards quickly, and bumped into their combatants. "Hahah! You were right Ignus! That quickening spell was useful! We'll make use of it later. I'm glad to see our training wasn't all for nothing!" The large man gave a hearty laugh before setting the boy down, "However," He said, looking to the ground around him and the side of one of the buildings, which all looked as if a huge impact had just landed into them, "The displacement of the force may need some work. We'll work on that later."

"Alright Saber. Hey…" he said, looking to Rin, who was wide eyed at the destruction. "Can we go somewhere where we won't… mess up the city?"

Rin cleared her throat as Assassin and Sophia both stumbled out of the door, in awe as well at the destruction of the building. "S-s-sure… let's head over by the graveyard. There's plenty of space there."

And with that, they went. Trudging along with Saber hoisting his master up on his shoulders, as well as Sophia and Assassin following farther behind in the shadows.

Soon, Archer and Saber would face off, and the city of Melephast would shake and move with the sound of many more confrontations. Soon, the war would claim its first victim as well.


	11. Chapter 10

Billows of smoke and a haze of gray filled the space before Reinalt. To his right, he could faintly make out people of varying stages of sickness and death; some rotted through to almost skeletons, while others were scratching at their bodies and wailing in pain, succumbing to a deathly illness. To his left, he saw a house, filled with happy families and people of varying ages; the hot smell of burnt peppers wafting through the air. Then, ahead of him, he could see the lilthe body of his servant with her back turned. He called to her, he ran to her, he crawled to her, but his body could never reach her. Once he had given up, she turned around, and appeared directly in front of him. She knelt down to lift him up, pulling him up by the arm. She leaned in, and embraced him, and he awoke.

The dream was strange to say the least, except the final part, which in fact had more truth than he had known. Caster was atop him, naked, with her arms wrapped around his neck, snoring. _Did she have a bad dream?_ He thought to himself, before prying the arms off of him and moving her to the side.

He got up slowly to not wake her, but the creaking of the boards of the house caused too much of a disturbance. With a small yawn and bundled covers over her body, she rose from the bed. "Good..." She said with dreary eyes, "You are awake."

He moved to the basin and filled a glass with water, and moved back to sit at the table in the room. "So… are you going to explain to me what you are?"

Caster let out a sigh before flopping back on the bed, looking like a defiant child. "Do I have to? Can't you just believe that I am just a… person from history or something that is here to help? A sorcerer who can move and bend shadows to her whim? A powerful witch filled with eldritch power that can morph and move through dark areas? Or…" She wanted to continue, but Reinalt halted the conversation. "Tell me Caster… exactly what are you?"

She sat up, still draped in the blankets of her bed, her white hair falling to the visible pieces of her skin that the blanket did not reach, and stood soon after. As the blankets dropped to the floor, a black garb materialized. Layered to almost look like feathers, the garb was knee length, and looked quite airy. The color seemed to move as she did, with the darkest part of her always facing Reinalt, and the rest moving back to glossy black to deep grays. It was a strange, entrancing design. She gripped her right arm with her left at the elbow, and looked him in the eyes. "This is what I am. I am a creature of disease and sickness." She halted, looking to see if he understood, and then continued. "The people of the lands I inhabited called me Gaxi Sonnim, and I would give and take as I saw fit. Merchants struck with the flu after wronging someone, fishermen stealing others catch came down with pneumonia and the occasional civilization whipping event such as a wracking and deathly disease to those that did wrong to us." Her hand shot to her mouth, trying to cover it as quickly as possible.

Reinalt's eyes grew to saucers. "Us? What do you mean us?"

Soon the space dimmed to darkness. All around, Reinalt could see nothing except himself and Caster standing in front of him. "There is more than just myself… within this form, so to speak. I am the main force of Gaxi Sonnim, but there are far more that are under my power that I have taken in to aid me."

Soon, faces could be seen in the distance of the darkness, coming to where Caster and he were sitting. They all looked similar to Caster, but were still different; lighter or darker skin tones, slight variations to hair styles or length and color, height, weight, eye color, they all varied, but they were all the same in ways. Reinalt could feel it. Each one of them, if he were to name them, Gaxi Sonnim would be their names. It was a collective that lived far longer than anything he could imagine, and had lasted far longer than what time had. The feeling of their presence was immense.

Caster moved forward, placing a hand atop his that was on his knee. It had been shaking. Fear. Reinalt hadn't felt it in so long he forgot what it could be called. The touch of her hand calmed him quickly, and the look in her eyes was gentle. "We only harm those we do not like or those that deserve to be punished. You shouldn't be scared of me… us… Yunda. We are your servants. And as far as we've seen, you've done nothing to warrant any punishment. You have a good heart, and one that will make his people and eventual family happy."

The darkness faded, as did the other bodies inside it; some waving, smiling, or simply turning to walk away. What was left was Caster, now naked, standing in front of Reinalt. She turned quickly and dropped to the floor to grab the blankets, flicking them over herself and hiding inside them. "I bet you hate me now. I was hoping I didn't have to tell you all that."

He stood swiftly, and walked over to her, lifting her up and placing her on the bed. "I don't hate you. I should be thanking you." He said with a smile that Caster could see out of the small hole in her blankets. "Now that I know all that, we can get to know each other a little better. I didn't know your magic could do all that too. Is that why you put the bread by that house next door before we left?"

Caster jumped a little, thinking her little deed had gone unnoticed. "Y…yes… Once someone eats that stuff, they'll start to lose mana, then once that's over, they'll start succumbing to a disease that was crafted just for this war… only those with magic can succumb to it."

His face turned to a grin. "That's smart… fiendish but smart. How's that shadow stuff work?" His demeanor was unchanging, and positive. Something Caster was not expecting.

"Well… I just use shadows around to… craft things or move through them. All shadows are connected, just as all light is connected. Sunlight and moonlight are very similar to each other, so the shadows that they cast are the same. I move through the light and shadows, and use them for my own doing. It's kind of like using mana, except I use the mana around me in its given form." She said as she moved her arms around, trying to make them give an explanation all their own as she talked.

Reinalt looked at his servant with a broad smile. He was proud of how much she had told him, and how much she trusted him to keep this information to himself. "That sounds really powerful and hard to wield. How do you do it?"

She finally met his eyes after so long of keeping her head down. "Lots of practice… too many years worth of practice honestly."

"Would you want to teach me some? I'm a fast learner."

They both smiled soon after, and laughed some. The decision was made that once they rested to leave in the night, she would teach him a simple spell to control the shadows to use as he saw fit.

* * *

The first attack missed its mark in the clearing outside of the graveyard. A large field used to stargazing, picnicking, and simple strolls now had turned into a battlefield. From the trees, Caster and Sophia looked on at the display. "Sophia, what the hell is this thing?" Assassin said, looking with all six of her eyes to the spectacle that was going on in front of them. "He's… so strong… just as strong as that creature Al'ana summoned. What the hell is he!?"

"Just calm down and watch Anna. We can learn quite a bit from this exchange." Sophia said as she balanced herself on a limb not far from Assassin. Assassin had not seen much magic come from Sophia, but she seemed quite physically adept to the type of activities Assassin was used to doing. Acrobatics, swift and silent movements, she felt as if she was paired up with her double more than just a powerful magician. Sophia slid her skirt upwards, revealing a band of knives at the ready around her thigh. "Sophia what the hell are you!?" Anna said as loudly as she could with a whisper. Sophia flashed a glare at her. "What did I say about watching and being quiet?"

Ahead of them, the fight continued. Archer was dodging attacks swiftly as the brute of a man continued to swing in what appeared to be a wild dance of combat. Rin and the other master were merely watching as the time passed. Rin couldn't bring herself to do anything, not to the child, nor to his servant. His size, while imposing, was betraying to his speed. He was only slightly slower than Archer in swinging speed and straightforward movement. Archer, having a smaller frame, and considerably more dexterity in his movement, dodged his swift attacks, but the movements were taking their toll.

Rin had only a few options. Attack the other servant, and possibly hit Archer in the process, or not hit at all, and reveal her attacks to the enemy; attack the master, and possibly wage their own battle against each other that could result in the servants fending for themselves, or getting tangled in; or standing and waiting. The last option was the safest for her, but also the one that would draw the fight out the longest. She looked over to the other master. He was as tall as Rin, and sickly thin, but had the signature blue eyes and golden yellow hair of house Champion. Rin could only think that he was either an outcast in his family, being a bastard son or born with the wrong ways in life, or he chose this path himself and didn't like fighting with swords and arrows. Perhaps he didn't like fighting at all.

Being but ten yards away from one another, Rin could see most of his figure perfectly. He wore robes of a custom design and make; that fashioned after many higher wizards who used things such as sympathetic magic or grand conjuration. Rin could see his mouth tensing and moving with mumbled words to himself, and his fingers moving. _Traditional magic. Somatic and verbal._ She thought to herself, before digging in her bag slowly to retrieve a deep onyx stone that shone brilliantly in the sun. She waited for the perfect moment, and then shot the stone towards him. As it careened through the air, it began to spark with energies, and then crumpled to dust as it finally reached its mark. Darkness fell around the boy, and silence seemed to envelop him.

Once cut off from his master, the brute of a servant began to slow his movements. Archer took the chance and gained some distance, letting loose a barrage of arrows that hit their mark on nearly every shot. The servants arm and shoulder were skewered. With a swift movement, sword in his other hand, he slashed the air towards his servant, letting the darkness seem to blow away with the force of his swing. "None of that. We fight this as we should. While my servant did give me more speed to help me combat your swift Archer, I will fight this fight without it. Archer, are we agreed on this?" Said the huge man as he ripped the arrows out of his thick flesh, no blood to show for Archer's efforts. Archer wandered back to Rin, keeping his eye on him.

"I can take him without any aid," He said immediately in a quiet voice once close enough, "He may be large and powerful, but my attacks are quick and once I wear him down, that will be it."

Rin looked to him with puzzlement. He sounded so sure of himself, but if it wasn't for her, he wouldn't have kept up for much longer, or so she feared. "That may be, but who's to say they will keep to their word? They started this fight off with that spell. What's stopping him from doing it again?"

"Rin, he is a warrior. If he values honor, which it seems he does, he won't be asking for any spells. It will just be his combat prowess against mine."

"Sure it will. Just like his speed nearly matched yours."

Archer turned to look at her eyes. The piercing eyes that reminded him of his days before all this; Light's eyes staring back at him. He could see her in Rin, and almost hear her gentle voice.

"I trust you, but I don't like it," She said, crossing her arms.

"Just as stubborn." He said, looking down to the ground with a smile.

"Let's be done with this soon. Maybe we'll be able to topple him and have a win under our belts." She said, before wandering off to a side of the field, "Good luck Archer!" She called back as she joined the side of the boy in robes.

* * *

Assassin and Sophia were now at the base of the trees, watching behind a series of closely packed trees. Bushes and low branches hit their visage and outlines well. Sophia gathered dirt, leaves, and bits and pieces of the forest floor and split the little amount of random foliage in her and Anna's hand. After this, Sophia uttered a spell that sounded like the last breaths of a dying soul, and then dropped her spoils in her hand. Anna felt the world around her close of in a sense. Her voice, she felt, could only be heard by Sophia, and she felt that no eyes were watching her either. It was somehow calming. "Silence and camouflage? Interesting Sophia. Are we to spy on their entire fight?"

"Do you object? It will prove to us that this treaty between ours and theirs will be profitable." Sophia replied, with some ice in her voice.

"Sophia? What's going on? Is everything alright?" Anna was confused. Not but a few moments ago, Sophia had been calm, and acted much like when she first met Anna. Now however, she seemed more of an assassin than she was. Cold temperament, minimal talk, the knives and the silent magic. It was all making sense. "Well, while they prepare, why don't you tell me a little about yourself Sophia?" She said, a small smile creeping across her face.

Sophia looked back with the eyes of a killer. "We are here to help them in any way we can Assassin. You know this. You agreed to it as well. We watch. We wait. I will tell you all I can as we watch. Now, sit and stay still. The more you move, the more the spell wanes."

Assassin took the hint immediately and crouched next to Sophia, watching the brute of a man prepare himself for his fight with Archer.

Once the calm before their clash came, Sophia began.

"My family is a family of death," She said, as the larger servant charged towards Archer. The elf was too fast for them as he ducked out of the way of the swing, rushing upwards to stab his knife into the giant's sword arm. No blood came from him. "For centuries, my family has crafted, tested, and perfected every form of death imaginable. Torture, poison, 'accidents,'" she said with a strange inflection, "curses, assassinations, and even the less subtle of forms such as warfare. We are a perfect family of mages, warriors, and scholars. However, there are things we lack, and that is power. Despite all of our knowledge… we do not have a ready avenue of casting. The spell I used before, it is an old one passed down in our family. One that I have no idea how it works. It just comes naturally. We've studied and studied. We can 'read off' spells from scrolls and books, but they are unfamiliar to us. If we perform a ritual, we must have a written document on how to do it. For some reason, we cannot truly learn it." She shook her head in annoyance at her family's faults. "Ages have passed and we still have nothing to show for all of our studies. Our magic comes easily, and the spells easier than that, and some we hardly need materials for now, but we only have so much we can do, and we must always use the shadows as our ally. We are forever a house in night." The word sounded with a clash of swords amidst the battlefield. Archer had stuck another dagger into Saber, and was now firing a barrage of arrows at him, which he was slicing out of the air with relative ease. No blood had stained the green grass below still. "That is all I can really tell you about the family. Not much else is known about our family. My magic is mine, and I have tried my best to learn new spells… but I cannot keep the knowledge either. It's strange… and disheartening, but… our family is one of death, and I suppose that is our just rewards for such a past. The inability to progress."

Archer's arrows were beginning to hit home more and more as he fired far away from the man. Now looking like a pin cushion, the giant man rushed him and slashed downward towards the ground, sending a shockwave of force towards Archer. Dodging as best he could, Archer was caught in the blast, and was hit multiple times by rocks and the sheer force of the attack. Soon after trying to stand, Saber was upon him, and thrust the sword to his neck. "I believe it is my win Archer," He said in a calm voice, as the arrows that were still stuck in his shoulders and lower neck reached above him, "Do you yield?"

Archer spit a bit of blood from his mouth as the blade cut a bit of his neck, drawing blood. "I thought you said we fight fair. How can you not be bleeding after all of my attacks?"

"Oh but they do," He said, pulling a dagger out of his arm, tossing it at him. At the tip, a velvety sheen encased the dagger. "My blood is thicker than most, and while you do make me bleed, your attacks aren't enough to make my blood flow from my body." He gave a laugh of triumph.

Archer reached for the dagger and thrust himself upward from the ground, lunging towards the servant's chest, and stabbed just below his sternum. The servant stumbled back from the force, but not from the blade. He retrieved it, and threw it back down at Archer. "It seems we are on a balance here. My attacks do damage you, but you have quite the reservoir of strength." He gave Archer a wide smile. "And while your attacks do not seem to damage me, you seem to have tactics that I cannot anticipate. I sense no evil in you however," He said as he looked over to his master, "So are you satisfied young master? We can continue if you wish, but he is a good one this one."

Archer's eyes moved over to where Rin and the master were sitting, and saw that Rin's face matched his. The young man stood up from his sitting position, and moved over to his servant. "Yeah… they aren't going to hurt anyone. Let's go find the bad guys then!" He said joyfully, before being pat on the head softly by his servant. "Alright then. We should get a move on then." He said, before fleshing slightly, forcing the remaining arrows and dagger out of his body. The holes seemed to close up quite readily.

"If our paths cross again Archer and her Master, we will be ready for a nice fight. Good luck in the war!" said the servant, before walking down the path they came. It was a sight to be sure. Archer was dumbfounded as much as Rin was, and the duo of Assassin and Sophia were equally amazed at what just transpired.

* * *

The hooded figure of Leysritt stood at the balcony of the king's estate, looking out at the fight that had just ended. "Saber… ever the warrior of honor. You never cease to amaze." She said, letting the light breeze whip her hood off of her head. She turned to look back into the room she had claimed for herself. The king had withered into a puppet for her using. He seemed nearly lifeless as he lay on the ground in his robes from the announcement earlier. He still held breath, but his figure was becoming more and more lithe and thin. His eyes held no spark of life, but only a shadowy resemblance of it. Truly, he was a shell without a soul.

"Oh King," She said, as he rose from his place and moved to the wide door to the balcony, "I have a task for you. You must come closer." She smiled. The being inside the shell of the man hated sunlight, and actively chose to avoid it, but, he could not disobey the master that brought him into this world.

He did not want another wound.

"I… I am here… mistress." With each step, the sun burnt his flesh. The shell of the man stopped most of the light, but still, it hurt far more than most things the shadowy being had witnessed. "What is it… you desire?"

"Go to Saber, and see to it that he is on an equal playing field to the others. If he proves too powerful, we cannot let the grail soak up the power of the servants as well as it should. You understand do you not?"

A deep bow came with a few grunts of pain. "Of course mistress, I will do so at once." He said before scurrying back to the shadows. "How do you wish for me to accomplish this madam?"

"Disease, poison, an unhealing wound. Be creative. Keep the guise of the king as well. Make sure the boy is present to truly liven up just how distraught this kingdom will be without their highest and grandest of kings." She let out a chuckle before turning back to the landscape in surprise. The time limit had almost hit its mark and closed up the city for the war, and a rumble in the earth came with increasing intensity as the time neared. Within the last seconds, Leysritt saw a black dot of matter shoot upwards in the shape of a human, and barely cut through the sliver of sky before the dome of magic shut the city in. with a crash around a far fountain that seemed to shoot forth a flurry of brackish and spoiled water, a gargantuan man could be seen, with a woman of tribal garments and blood stained hands riding atop his shoulder.

"It seems Al'ana has returned and wishes to join in the war," Her smile stretched across her face, nearly reaching her ears. "Change of plans Shade," She turned to him, her eyes now wide as well in an emotion the shade had never seen before, and one he hoped he'd never be on the end of. "I need his form for the grail. He must be fed to it. Without him, this all will take entirely too long. Show her the power we wield, and give her a taste of darkness and what lies between the stars in legends. I want them twisted and writhing while we play with them like puppets in our hands. I trust you can do this. I have given you more than enough power to do this. Do not disappoint me Shade." She finished, going back into the bed chamber as the earthquake of the creatures movement carried on outside. She tumbled into her bed, and sat about the books on them, skimming for a spell, a ritual, something to make this grail be filled quicker than any she had readied in the past. She needed this power here and now. She had seen the power that this creature was, and she needed it to be hers.

* * *

Lancer felt something was amiss with the steady thunderous steps around her. Something was looking for the servants and masters, and she could only assume it was the creature they saw Al'ana summon. Her and Shin had split up to cover more ground, an idiotic plan, but one she was sure he could handle on his own. She stumbled down the alleys of the lower city while he was nearer the top. With a simple spell, she could make him alert to the danger, but she was sure she didn't need to thanks to the gargantuan might of whatever was causing such a ruckus. She scurried as best she could as the sounds rang out between the walls. Swift in her black armor, she made her way to the street, and dashed across. As she fell into the next alley, a cape caught her eye. A deep blue and white, the color of Shin's cape. _What is he doing here? Did he come to find me?_ Her heart leapt in joy as she felt her heartstrings fluttered. He cared so much for her, and he was worried about her with all the commotion. She was flattered, but wanted their mission to be over. She would have rather stayed the day inside their base, waiting for nightfall, when more reconnaissance could be achieved. And more fun in the bedroom could be had while all the others were running around fighting.

She rounded the corner, spotting the cape go through a door. She rushed it, and barely caught it, but it was attached to nothing. "Sorry Lancer, I'm in here! Come join me!" he said from inside.

Lancer couldn't resist. Perhaps the passion had taken her over, or the thought that Shin wanted to see her made that much more unaware of her surrounds. As she went through the door, and hurried into the basement level where his voice came from, something seemed to drain from her. She could feel something inside her seem to create a void. Strength drained from her, but she pressed on. Winded now as she reached the bottom of the stairs, there, in the candlelight, she saw him lying. Four women lay around him, each one with blood rolling down their mouths as another ate at his neck, stripping flesh from bone.

Lancer dropped her spear, and sank to the ground, her strength failing her more. She couldn't bear to see this. She never wanted her friend, her master, her lover, to leave her, but for his life to end here, like this… it was an insane joke. She kept her eyes on them as tears began to roll down. A new source of energy began to make its way through her. Her master's mana was gone, but she was still able to fight. She stood with a shaking hand, and grabbed her spear, and readied herself. The creatures stopped eating, and fully took notice of her finally. The one who was eating last stood, and made its way closer, nearly ten feet in front of Lancer. It opened its mouth, revealing pointed, terrifying looking teeth. "He only wanted a little fun," it said in Shin's voice, "It seems he got more fun than what he was wanting!"

Lancer's spear drove through the strange voice taking woman, and cut her apart with such precision that not a cut was seen until the creature collapsed. She went to work just as quickly on the others, the pain and fury of her loss fueling her attacks more and more. Soon, the place was a bloodbath and a mess of goopy forms with some body parts remaining, and Lancer standing amongst the carnage, waiting for the anger to subside.

She thought long and hard about what she wanted to do. True, she was alone. Alone and afraid. Shin was all she had in this world, and he was the only one who taught her enough to survive. She was a fighter, but she did not know about the place she had ended up. Shin had shown her much, but now, she was ready to see the rest of it for the remainder of the war. She would stay as long as the war allowed her, and keep to her own ideals. She would fight, and if she could, she would win, and bring him back if she could. This time, she would make sure he never left her side.

Resolved instilled in her once more, she made her way back up the steps, and began to make her way to the house she had scoped out with Shin only nights before; The Fiore Estate, where Rin and Archer were soon to be.


	12. Chapter 11

The Well was what she called it. She swam and swam as the Nakki came back, flowing through or diving down into the pool to give their reports. A body fell into the dark waters, and seemed to disappear as Annan sat idly, looking through the few things he was allowed down in their hideout. A book of magic he could practice and cast from, and a focus to make it easier to cast the spells. He had gone through most of the easy spells, requiring little more than a few incantations, hand motions, or even just gripping the focus in his hand. The rest of the spells were within his grasp, but he didn't want to try them and mess them up with Rider still around.

She would not leave his side however.

She slithered and moved in the pool, taking glances to him every so often.

The only reason he could think as to why she was so… protective… was that if he died… she would be much weaker.

"Something on your mind Annan?" She said, breaching the cusp of the ring of stone and sitting on the side, her long serpentine tongue flicking out with a few breathes in between. Despite the monstrous appearance, her upper body had only slightly changed. She was still beautiful in an otherworldly aura about her, and her piercing eyes from before had only grown more powerfully alluring. Annan shook himself a little, breaking the trance she always put on him.

"Just thinking about what we are going to do about this war." He said, swirling a spell around in his fingers, letting the mana fall off of it as it dissipated into nothing. "Is your plan really going to work?"

She slithered her way up to him, and coiled her wet tail around him slowly. "We've been over this Annan," The coils went around his waist and legs, tightening slowly, "I have this all under control. Just sit there, and stay alive. Will you?"

"What is your plan?" He said, a defiant look in his eyes. "I am your master, and I want to help. Tell me so I can help…"

"What could you do?" She asked, a grin on her face.

"More than you know."

The defiance was something Rider had not seen, and she was ready to break it, but she played along, uncoiling her tail from his body. "Fine then master. What is it that you know? What is it that you can do to sway this war in our favor with my aid? I may have become your servant, but that does not mean you are more powerful than I."

She _was_ right. Annan was nowhere near as powerful as her, but he had knowledge, and his magic was different from many others. Many of the mage families used incantations, somatic components, materials to use for the spell, and a myriad of other processes, but… Annan's family was something different, and many of the mage families did not really like how their magic worked. Even in their ruled lands, the mages of the land did not like being associated with the Clearwater name.

He withdrew a small knife, letting in gleam in the little bit of light that was close. It displayed a myriad of runes, stains, and even a bit of rust right at the guard of it. He lifted his other hand, and pricked his finger with it, letting the blood bubble to the surface, and then dropped it into the water. Only five drops made its way into the pool before the wound began to close and heal. He wiped his finger with a rag in his pocket and sat by the Well's side. Rider slithered over to him, watching, and waiting.

She did not want this drivel if it did not work. She was tired of his being around. His form she despised, his fear angered her. Him as a person just made acting in this war a chore to her. She wanted him gone truly, but she couldn't do that. The Servant-Master tie between them would be severed, and she would have no way to acquire more mana. However, there was a way around that…

She could eat him. The thought crossed her mind many times before. Ingested, she could simply gain all the mana from his body, and perhaps even allow herself to act independently. She did not want to run the risk however. The most pitiful way to die would be for her to have never fought, and simply expire in her Well. She did not want to be viewed as such by the other warriors, by her master, by anyone. She was a warrior, a monster of the seas. She had killed more men than had been born in this disgusting world.

Suddenly, she felt something move below her. Out of the water, a serpent, larger than herself even, constructed of water, rose up, and began to take form. The tint to it was slightly red, but hardly even noticeable to a human's eye. Annan turned to face her, and raised his hand upwards about midway up his torso. The serpent rose slightly, and moved towards him, laying his body across the stones. "This is what the Clearwater name can do. We have been able to do this… for as far back as I have read. Other ways of magic can be learned, but this one is passed down. With our blood, we can manipulate water that it dilutes in, and use it for any number of things. It isn't much, but it can help." He said, before dropping the serpent, letting it go back to the well in globules of watery movement.

Rider was astounded. To think her master could actually harness the mana welling up in him so well. Blood was a small price for that kind of control. Her eyes widened before slithering closer to Annan. "You've proven me wrong master," She said with a hiss, "I did underestimate you. Go ahead and ask some questions and I will tell you all about this plan. I am fine with including you since you look more capable of handling yourself in my eyes."

Annan fumbled around his words, but soon, the question came out. "How are we to defeat the other servants and masters?"

* * *

The sight was something they thought they would never see. Just that morning, they had seen Lancer and Shin next to one another, happy as lovebirds would be. And now, here she was, alone, sitting at the gates of the Fiore Estate, looking broken and thrown away. Her armor looked stained in sludge and blood, and tear trails her face. She gripped her lance and raised herself, walking with it towards them. Blood trailed behind her as she made her way forward. Upon reaching Rin and Archer, she fell to the ground, exhausted. She reached out, and her hand fell on one of their feet.

"Please," She said, through gritted teeth, "You must… help me. Shin… Shin is dead." Were all the words she could get out. With a gasp, she passed out before their feet.

"She is still alive, but frail and weak," Archer said, looking to Rin. With a nod from his master, he scooped the woman in armor up, and hurried inside to the Estate.

The fire blazed as the day began to end. The first day of the war, Rin and Archer battled Saber, and the fight lasted nearing two hours it seemed before the standstill happened. Patrolling the rest of the day had made them exhausted, but the lost and broken Lancer had changed that, renewing in them the same vigor they had this morning. They had only seen the servant and her master a few times, but never saw them this far apart. They were worried beyond all else. While they were enemies in this war, Lancer did not seem in any condition to be fighting.

Rin came forth with tea, and sat it down on the table before Lancer on the couch. Rin had helped her out of her armor and into some night clothing, and she sat with a saucer and cup in her hands, with a blanket around her. She could hardly make out words, but her mouth gave the motions of 'thank you' to Rin, before she took a long sip.

The warmth rolled through Lancer as she drank in the surroundings as well as the beverage in her hands. She coughed a few times as it went down. She wasn't prepared for something so nourishing and hot. She sat the cup down slowly with the saucer, and breathed in deeply. It had only been little over fifteen minutes since they were outside, and even now, it was feeling as if she had enough strength to walk again. "Thank you both. After how terribly I treated you with master, I was worried you would not take me in, or even listen to what I had to say."

"We are still weary of you. Like you said, you did treat us quite… horribly to say the least. But, you did not look to be in any shape to be backstabbing us. I trust you." Rin said, before looking to Archer. "I've been wrong before, but for now, we will trust you. What is going on? Where is Shin?"

Lancer just let everything go once Rin asked. She told them everything that had happened. The mission that Shin and herself were going on, to scout out the places that the other master's used as their bases, and to find any unwary masters that may be out and not paying attention. She told them of losing him, getting separated, and hearing the monster that Al'ana summoned come through the city. It was unmistakable, and terrifying, and she had hid like a coward, but found her master being eaten by these… creatures. She stopped there, and calmed herself again.

"After that, I made my way out, battling them as best I could, and then… I was here… I ran as fast as I could to the only house I knew of with people that I knew in it." She said, before picking her tea back up and taking another sip.

"How did you know where our base was?" Archer asked, a look of anger on his face, "You hid and spotted us leave one day didn't you?"

Lancer gave him a worried smile. "Y-you're right… I'm sorry… It was Master's orders. I can't disobey them."

Archer sat back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other, and gave a heavy sigh. Rin recovered the conversation soon after. "In any case. Your master… is gone. It is a sad fact… but how are you able to… keep going? I'm sorry to ask but shouldn't you… disappear or something? Do you know how this war works?"

"From the person who talked to me before all this said I was different than most of the other servants. I can independently act on my own. Meaning, I can go on without a Master as long as I am able to keep my mana reserves up."

It was a strange concept, but one that made sense. Archer and her shared mana between them, and food and water helped sustain them both. "However," Lancer continued, "If I go too long without my master's touch, of some of mana in me… I will die… slowly and horribly."

Archer and Rin both looked at her with wide eyes. Lancer seemed to have accepted the matter, but still looked barely able to hold onto what her future most likely held. A few tears began to roll as she spoke hurriedly. "I thank you for hearing my story… and I thank you for the tea… However, I do not think there is much that you can do for me. I… cannot protect you or your servant with my meager strength now, and I cannot do much in the coming days without a master. Honestly… I am a worthless pawn in this war now, with my Master gone." She held her head in her hands as the fire kicked up from the sudden burst of wind in the room.

The door shut to the den, and a figure made their way into the dim firelight. A man by all sense of the word, his ever dapper red suit and gray vest contrasted well with is white skin and dark hair. His eyes shown brilliantly in the firelight, and his smile seemed more genuine then it had ever been before to Rin.

Tokiomi looked down to the scene of his daughter, her servant, and an enemy's servant with a wild thought in his mind. "I have a proposition for you all. One that could sway this war to our side for the rest of the time it is in effect. Give me a moment of your time, and I will tell you all I can. You will win this war Rin. I will make sure of it with this plan."

* * *

Shadows danced around Reinalt as he grabbed them from the walls. Swirling masses of shadowstuff moved and churched around him, like floating orbs of darkness. Caster sat across from him, smiling joyfully. "It seems you are getting the hang of it. You said you wanted to try and use that with the magic you can already do right? That may be a bit too harmful to you… but you can try it in small pieces. Try just using one of those orbs." She said, grabbing the rest from him with a little wave of her finger.

Reinalt grabbed the orb, and placed the shadowy ball on his arm. The chill hit him quickly as it began to seep into his skin. His teeth began to chatter, and his arm appeared to produce a bit of frost and fog around it in the warm house. Soon however, out of the front of his hand, a wavering blade protruded, and upon thinking of the placement, retracted and moved to where he wanted it. He could conceal it to a degree, and move the ethereal blade around his body, but it was almost always present as a black spot that could be manipulated on his skin. "Well… that looks like it works. That's about all I can teach you for now," She said as she hopped off of the chair, "Let's head out. There's a lot of stuff we need to do tonight."

The duo exited the house soon after, looking to the bread by the door before leaving. Much of it was gone in chunks, but whole pieces were gone as well. Vermin and insects took to it as well, but did not succumb to the disease. Something had taken the bait. The two smiled a little at each other. "Hopefully that will work." Caster said, stepping to the still warm stone path. She walked a few paces from the house, and then began to tell Reinalt her plan.

"From what the other masters and servants looked like, the larger one must have been Saber, or the Cleric. No archer would be that large, and a Rider or Assassin would need to be smaller than even that I suspect. That creature that was summoned at the other fountain must be the other of those two as well. With that, the man and woman in the matching garbs… it is easy to see that they are the Archer and his master. The bow of course gave it away, but still, he looked quite nimble and quick. All that leaves are the two girls, and then the woman and that boy," She hit a stone that had jutted upwards, and stumbled forward catching herself. She cleared her throat to start again. "The woman in black armor wielded a spear. I suspect that that is the Lancer. The man and the woman in blue seemed at odds with one another. And the duo of girls seemed very fine in each other's company. The only thing I could really make out was that the girl with red eyes… with the… what was her name… Sophia? She was the one I fought a few nights ago. She called herself the Assassin. With a master that looks like Sophia, we may have an upper hand on them. That just leaves the other two to be the Rider pair."

"Sounds like you got this all figured out," Reinalt said, walking a little behind her. She merely kept talking, facing forward. "That does not mean we are to underestimate them, I know. We are out in the night." He finished, before looking around him. The darkness seemed to creep in on him, as if a thousand eyes were watching and waiting for him to make a mistake.

Caster felt their presence first, but Reinalt was the first to act, rushing to Caster and leaping out of the way of the barrage of attacks from the watery foes they fought before. Now on guard, the two went to a better lit area, and prepared themselves. On the edge of the light, the creatures began to surround them, their strange glowing eyes reflecting the light of the night lamps. They split apart a moment, allowing something to pass through into the light. They recognized the person from the meeting that morning. The boy with the woman in the blue dress.

"Hello you two. Going for a stroll?"

He appeared far surer of himself, but that was because of his servants trust in him now. With the power he showed her, she felt that he could truly control her powers. And now was his test. With the splashing of watery feet around them, and the moon hanging high overhead, the two teams clashed in the night.


	13. Chapter 12

Sleep was not something that the giant of a man could do. His mind, his body, his entire being only felt two things; power and rage. His devotion was more to the woman who held his collar, than to anything else. She controlled all he did, and she, without knowing, held a being by her side that could split the world in two if it wanted.

The woman doesn't want to split the world. She would never let the Earth Mother be killed by the Sky Father. Her ambitions were simpler, and attuned to her magic. Bloodshed and pain were her venues to use for satisfaction.

She wanted nothing more than to experience the thrill of battle between those that would show her a true fight. If there are none, the world will be covered in blood until she is satisfied.

The Shade saw it all as the formless shadow watched from afar; the two bounded around looking for opponents. Houses crumpled as the gargantuan man flung his arms and fists through them. The woman looked joyfully at the destruction and carnage he caused. The power he displayed and the amount of mana used to make such a beast...

"The Grail shall have you," The shade mumbled to itself, before slipping into the darkness of the shadows cast by the pale moonlight, only appearing to the duo farther ahead of it down the street of the city. The creature took on a humanoid appearance, but retaining its shadowy composure and look. "Halt warriors. I have much to tell you. I am a part of this Holy War as a messenger. Will you take heed?"

Al'ana leapt down from her servant, falling slowly as if the wind itself caressed her and let her be unharmed by the great drop. She moved forward with her whip at the ready. "You say you are a messenger, by I think not. You are composed of shadow. What are you and what do you want with me and my Father?" Her common tongue was strange to hear, but was coherent.

The shadowy humanoid seemed to shiver somewhat at the statement. "Think what you will, but my title as messenger will not change because of your beliefs. I have come to offer you something that will ensure you win this war. Your 'father'," He said with an inflection that denote of sense of demeaning nature that made Al'ana snarl and crack her whip, "will have power that could never be imagined, and your enemies will quake in fear whenever they feel your presence, or your servants. All you must do is come with me."

She thought a moment, but the creature was clearly something she did not understand fully, but the thought of winning this war, and bringing glory to her family and watching those unworthy of the land die by her and her servants' hands, the thought leapt through her mind and the words of agreement were swiftly on her tongue. "Lead us Shadow. We will see if what you say is true and make our decision then. Only then will I tell you what we wish to do," She said as her eyes filled with bloodlust and joy.

Fighting was something she only got to do against weaker opponents, and those who thought they could kill her in the tribe she was in. All who came against her were taken down in the most brutal of ways, fueling her enjoyment of bloodshed and the pained screams of those against her. Her magic became a part of it as well, using the blood, viscera, and pained emotions of her enemies and victims to destroy everything in her path. That is all her magic is; endlessly creating more destruction to fuel more destruction.

As they walked through the street, Al'ana could only think of what awaited her. Destruction, death, and more bloodshed. Enough to appease the Sky Father, and hopefully, grant the wish she wanted for so long.

"Shit. It's that creature that the advisor talks to," Assassin said, looking through the trees to the meeting of the mysterious advisors even more mysterious lackey and the servant and master pair that spelled nothing but destruction for the city and the other participants, "Sophia… what do you think we should do?"

Sophia sat with her knives on the belt of her new outfit. She wore a tight fitting nearly black suit underneath a slightly loose black cloth garb tied at the waist with a belt with a myriad of weapons and items on it. She pulled a piece of the skin tight material up to her mouth and fit it there so it was covered. "We follow at a distance, we listen, and we wait. There's no way we can take on either of them. The more information we have, the more we will be able to hit them where it hurts worst."

"Alright… We need to get down there quick if we are going to keep up," Assassin said as they began their descent down to the streets and alleys to follow their quarry. As the earth shook below them as the servant of power before them walked, they felt a sense of unease and power that they could never overcome. It was terrifying and threatening. It felt, that at any moment, the creature could turn and spot them, destroying them in a flash, but they pressed on, silent and low to the ground, moving like the wind and as quite as it allowed. A breath too much, and they would be spotted and slain. With each step, they moved closer. Up buildings and closer and closer, until they began to near the fountain. Al'ana began to speak to the Shade then. "Tell me shadow being, what are your ties to this war… aside from being a messenger?"

The shade moved forward without stopping, answering her as they continued. "I was formed by the advisor to be a messenger to the masters and servants. That is perhaps all. If a task is given to me, I shall follow it. There has been only one death since the war began, and the advisor believes that the war must end quickly. It is quite hard keeping the barrier to the city up and the rest of the enchantments around to keep things intact and performing as it should. While you all used your own mana and magic to produce and summon your servants," He said, looking up to the servant who strode beside them, "They were not formed wholly just by you. Their mana is being drawn from the world around you as well. You all are conduits for your servants, and channel mana into them, making them what they are, as well as making them able to feed on the mana from the War's contract itself."

"A contract? A piece of parchment holds more power than the Sky Father?" She said amazed; mostly in disbelief as her face crumpled in anger. "What manner of magic is that?"

"Binding magic mostly. I am not of this plane. I have lived for millennia, and have seen a few of these wars before. They always end the same, but the means are different every time. It is spectacular to watch to be sure. Usually a champion of the advisor is given some more power than others, and you have been chosen for that purpose. The advisor will use the same magic to give you some of the power of that contract." The shade said as they reached the steps.

As they moved from alley to alley to keep themselves hidden, the tension in the air seemed to reach a breaking point as they reached the fountain where the advisor and king were staying. Sophia and Assassin stopped, huddling down in the last alley they had been in. Al'ana stopped, and turned to the shadow formed person, and spoke softly, and turned to look back from where they came. "Show yourselves cowards. Fight or flee like the rats you are."

At that moment, Sophia felt a rush of wind behind her, and out in the street, blades drawn, stood Assassin, ready to strike. "A spider; thank you. I've taken down far bigger prey than you, and you're Dad." Assassin let a vicious smile come across her face. "Just to let you know. I can stop you at any time I want. What we do here… it's nothing but playtime to me."

As she talked, Sophia slowly moved over to her, arms ready to grab around her neck to strangle her. _What… the… hell… are you… doing!?_ Sophia thought which each step. This was the exact opposite of what they talked about. It was as if with just a simple provocation, you could get her to do anything. Sophia even knew that. She shouldn't have even brought Assassin along, but on the way back from Saber and Archer's fight, they found Lancer and her master, Caster and her master, and split up following them. They had done much since then, and had just now been following Al'ana and her behemoth of a creature to see what they were doing. It had to come to an end at some point, but she didn't think it would have happened in the same day the tournament began.

Al'ana let out a laugh as she retrieved her whip from her side and summoned her Servant to her; a wicked smile coming across her face. "Leave us Shadow man. We will see the advisor once we have crushed this spider before us."

Sophia stepped back, while Assassin simple lifted one of her knives to point at the duo before them. Assassin licked her lips with a smile and said, "Come Nyame, or is it Tengri? I want to see if your influence over the sky still reaches here."

Al'ana's eyes seem to grow into a fiery red as she let out a terrifying battle cry. "KUK SUKKAN!"

Al'ana rushed forward and let her whip fly freely towards Assassin, the bladed ends ready to receive flesh. Assassin easily contorted herself, dodging out of the initial attack and the pull back of the returning thrashing ends of the whip. Behind them, the massive servant seemed to hardly be able to move, a wave of powerlessness coming over him once Assassin said the names. Al'ana paid no mind to him as she leapt forward, knife and whip in hand, still striking. Assassin merely moved backwards and dodged each attack, until she was cornered to a wall.

"You will receive your punishment for such blasphemy spider!" She said, her mouth filling with blood as she bit her tongue and lip.

"My my; if you keep yelling you're going to bite your tongue in half. Watch yourself little girl," Her eyes narrowed, as the hilt of the dagger met Al'ana's stomach, sending her back a bit, allowing Assassin to go to Sophia. "Stay back," She said upon getting close. "We'll need to leave soon if she is doing what I think she is…"

Sophia could hardly move. She had been in many fights before, thanks to her family's vigorous training in magic, killing, and combat; but this was something otherworldly. The servant still emanated an aura of helplessness and fear. The creature before her fighting Assassin wasn't a woman in any sense; she was more like a feral beast if anything or a rabid animal only wanting to kill. Shakily, Sophia moved behind Assassin who was now farther back in the alley. "We'll get out of here Sophia. Don't worry. I have a plan." She said with a smile. Al'ana stumbled into the opening of the alley, her lip torn and her mouth filled with blood. With another roar, she began an incantation.

"Gökyüzü rezil o ölüm," She began, and then paused, letting more blood come to her mouth and drop to the floor. "Bulmak ve kan öldürmek!" The blood shot forward, and began to move in erratic patterns. Launching itself off of the walls, splitting and reforming, moving faster and faster, with their creator just behind, Sophia stood behind her servant and waited for the feeling of pain the breach her.

Assassin crouched, touched the ground, and lifted herself upwards with her hands following her until they reached overhead. As she did, a string of webbing followed her hands, and connected together quickly. Between the holes in the webs, a sticky barrier formed, and before Sophia's eyes, a wall of translucent web stood between them and their assailant. "My blood will break through!" Al'ana said, as she leapt forward to strike as well.

"KITA," were the only words Assassin said. The webbing seemed to harden, stiffen, and become more opaque. Sophia heard the blood shots, as well as Al'ana hit the wall, and it did not give. Like a freshly made stone barrier, the wall stood firm. "Let's go," Assassin said, grabbing Sophia's arm, "That thing will be weakened for a bit. We have the night to ourselves for a while."

What the hell are you Assassin? I know you are some kind of spider but... Sophia's mind ran with ideas on what she could be. Nothing in her research spoke of a spider deity with that much power. All spider deities had been beings of poison, assassination, death, and thievery. What could this spider before her truly be?

They hurried out of the alley by leaping up the wall with incredible dexterity, escaping the maw of death that was Al'ana and her animated and deadly blood. Another scream could be heard as they sprinted away across the rooftops, jumping here and there. The voice faded as they ran, escaping back to the Inn. They sat on the rooftop, lack of breath in their lungs, and Sophia's mind still racing.

"Assassin," Sophia said, her hands on her knees and back bent, gasping for air. "We… need to talk…"

* * *

"Stupid woman. I will begin the process myself. Your consent is not needed. This creature you've summoned is all we require," The shade said as Al'ana ran after her prey. The shade moved to the foot of the creature, and placing his hand on its calf, sent its energies into it. The surge of magical energy brought on a change in the servant. Its shackles to its master left it slowly, and a new binding began. Its body began to change, turning from its brilliant white to a darkened gray with traces of black. Its eyes kept the blood red madness that its mind could hardly contain, and its teeth still clenched with the power its body held. With a harsh breath, the power that Al'ana felt as if a great source of power left her body. With a roar, she turned and came back to the fountain.

"You Shadow! You deceived me! What have you done!?" Broken and angry from the lost prey, she rushed. The only thing in her mind was destroying the creature that was touching her Sky Father, and to rid the world of the thing that was altering the power that was inside her. Once she was within reach, she let her whip fly. She landed her blow, but against something she had not expected. A massive palm grabbed the barbed and bladed whip ends, and pulled, wrenching it from her grasp. Her servant threw the whip, letting it fall across the fountain, and stood in-between the shade and her, a new fire burning in his eyes with the intensity of even more power than what she had.

Suddenly, something began to well up in her chest as she stared at the creature before her. It wasn't the same Sky Father as she knew before. He looked almost the same… but… something inside her knew… that something was wrong with him.

Fear. An emotion she had never felt was what she was feeling; an emotion unknown to her clan, her family, her father, mother, and herself for as long as she could remember; an emotion that she had only seen on her enemies and slaves. For her entire life, her clan was something to be feared. Even when her father was not the ruler of the plains, when their warriors left for battle, they all came back, and came back with trophies and slaves in tow. They were powerful warriors, and had a tactical mind about them for warfare. They were called Bringers of Death by the other tribes and clans of the plains, and from the more civilized people that her clan interacted with, they were called barbarians; a word Al'ana actually took pride in.

The Sky Father before her was something to be feared. It opposed her. Her Sky Father was long gone, and a being of ultimate power that did not want her was coming to kill her. She stood motionless as the Shade commanded it to go and destroy its former master. It walked slowly, its energy still coming back. Its eyes focused on Al'ana as it neared.

She couldn't feel her hands, her feet; her heart raced as he lumbered near. Her skin crawled and her eyes felt like they would soon spring forth tears. Then, the scene turned black, and she felt hands grip her body, pulling her downward. The cold grasp of the shadows constricted her, and the chill went straight to her bones. It felt like the cold days of the plains when they became blanketed in frost and ice… A terrifying time for those that couldn't survive.

 _Survive._ She thought to herself. _Live_. _I must live!_ She let out a roar of defiance, before the shadows muffled her. "Get her! Hurry you huge idiot!" The shade yelled to Al'ana's servant, only to have it lumber just a bit faster towards her.

 _I… I have to… have to… live…_

Al'ana felt the shadowy cold wrap around her fully, and she truly felt alone for the first time in her life. The Sky Father had abandoned her after coming to her side, and now, even the Earth Mother was not below or around her. She wondered if this was her time to leave the Earth Mother and join the true Sky Father in his army… but she didn't feel empty. She felt as if she still had a 'soul.' She drifted slowly, feeling as if she were submerged in the lake they travelled to every summer with their clan. They hunted fish, grazing animals wanting to drink, and even dreaded magical beasts that were the product of the cities around, but nothing was as exciting, or amazing, as the feeling of being weightless in the water. She could never describe it. It always felt better than moving with her feet or on horseback. Exhilarating in its own right, but altogether different, it was as if she were truly one with the Earth and Sky at the same time.

Suddenly, something grabbed her midsection. She thrashed and yelled, but no words came, and her movements were sluggish and difficult. It pulled and pulled before she could see a candle flame at the end of where she hoped she was going. Then, she panicked.

Was this this shade's darkness? Was she being taken to that advisor they talked about prior to the attack from the spider and her master? What were they to do with her? Was she to become some puppet like her servant? She would fight the advisor, but if she made the shade, and it could do such a thing to her servant, could she truly win? The magic she knew and her fighting style might win, but the sheer power and capabilities of the advisor, from what she could see, what could she really do against that?

The candle flame was now close, like a window in a tavern it flickered and she could see more shadows, humanoid in shape. She mustered up her courage, and let out a yell as soon as she breached the threshold. The air was warm and inviting as she took it into her lungs, and a hand clasped over her mouth quickly.

"Quiet now little one," Said a familiar voice. As she raised her head, she saw what she feared. The advisor, now in what Al'ana could only call her true form, sat before her. A robe of night was thrown around her and red eyes looked down to her, their piecing feel was more of anger and rage. Her smile was something that felt more like torture just to behold, because no joy could be behind such a smile. The shade stood beside her, whispering something into her ear. "Splendid. Just splendid. I'm so happy you agreed to this Al'ana. You will be a champion fit for the Grail quite quickly." She said with a low laughter to finish.

Al'ana could feel the immense power radiating from her, and it deepened the fear and paranoia of what was to come. Soon, she would either become someone that the advisor could use and manipulate, or her fate was something even worse. She shivered at the thought as her gaze fixated on the creature outside, peering in and awaiting orders as he stood tall enough to see in to the scene.

* * *

What he suggested was absolutely preposterous. He had already tried to raise his wife before this war, and he had already done so much wrong since Rin's life started. What the hell could he possibly be planning? Rin bit her thumb to hold back her protests as he continued with what his plan entailed.

"With how you are now, you will wither away. You are a candle without a flame, unable to be used, and worthless. Your master was your flame, and gave you a purpose, correct? So… what we must do is simply find another master; another flame. I have seen the binding ritual that Rin has performed, and the magic required is not difficult, but it must be precise. The symbols and incantations must be exact. However, most use items to summon these servants, and while you are already here," He said, letting his hand drift over to point to Lancer, "It will be must easier to bind you to a master. All we truly must do is give you a new name."

"A new name?" She said, puzzled.

"Throughout history, there has been many a warrior who has wielded a spear. From all accounts that I have seen, you are Svetovid are you not?" Tokiomi said, taking the reins of the conversation once more.

A small gasp came from Lancer, but she came back to the words he said, and nodded. "Yes… that is who I am."

"Splendid. Well, if we are to follow through with this plan, then we have options. You see, there are some who came after you; who replaced you. They stole your image. While to you in person, it must sound gruesome, but it was merely a new image. A new spear, a few new domains you are over, perhaps even a new pantheon you inhabit entirely. However, they are one in the same, and could come from the same root, or this other image could be the root; it is all conjecture and speculation. But… with what you have told me, we have moved closer to this being a fact."

Rin's head spun for a moment. Her father did like to make his magic a grand show at times, and even the explanations for the process of magic were exciting when he talked about them. This was going a bit too far however. He basically said that Lancer could become almost any spear wielding legend, as long as it was somehow related? It sounded farfetched, but… at the same time…

"But who would be my master? Shin… He… He's gone." Her eyes drifted downward, dejected and dreary.

He took a small bow before them. "I could take his place if you so wished. Or another master could even be able to do it, if there mana supply was enough. Rin is a prime candidate for that." He shot her a glance, to see if any interest came to her. Rin turned to look at the fire, as if she didn't notice. Having to supply Archer with mana was hard enough. If there was an easier way, she might be able to take Lancer on too, but at the moment, she couldn't do it.

"You have until noon tomorrow to decide. This house supplies the inhabitants of it with mana, but for supplying something who constantly expels it; it puts the mana production to its limits. You may either contact another master, or I will take the place."

"Why do you so suddenly want to help? This… isn't like you at all father." Rin said as she turned back to them, hesitation on her face.

"If this war is to do what I think it is, the rules are not much concern anymore, and we may be in far more trouble than you all know. I wish to see you, Rin, grow and become your own woman. With my failed attempt at bringing your mother back… I will do what is right. I will honor what she said and do all I can to make sure you stay alive in this, and live on."

The statement made Rin feel uneasy. He had gone back on promises before. Hopefully, this was not one of those times.

Tokiomi turned to leave, and paused a moment longer. "This war is nothing like what it was said to be. We… I will do all I can to make sure at least you are safe Rin." He turned once more before he left them to their thoughts, "I promise you that."

* * *

The battle felt as if it were going to go on forever. Each attack was blocked or parried in some way by both sides; Caster mostly using magic for her blocking, while Rider displayed some strange way of letting the attacks merely glance off of her or be dodged in some strange way. The attacks were constant barrages of shadow stuff from Reinalt and Caster, with watery and physical attacks coming from Annan and Rider. The foes seemed evenly matched.

"Nothing is landing Reinalt. These shadows should be easily hitting them and sapping their energy but…" Caster sounded winded through the attacks she was launching, "It seems nothing works…"

Reinalt had tried simple stone attacks using his magic and shadowy physical attacks, even just attacking the Nakki and Annan when we got close enough. He couldn't reach them or land anything on them. "There's… something blocking our attacks on its own."

"My magic. If you need an answer." Annan said, nonchalantly wiping his hands on his pants. "With the fonts that my servants put up, I have a nearly endless supply of water, and with my magic, I can control that water. Each attack you land, it hits a wall of water so dense it acts much like a shield." He turns to his servant, as she moves closer and places a hand on his shoulder. "Do you have any other attacks you want to try? If so, we'll be killing you both very soon." He said as an evilly joyful smile came across his face.

Caster stepped forward and raised her hand, fingers stretched towards them. "Some more bolts of darkness? Save it. You'll only waste your mana." Rider said, as she ran her arms down Annan. "My master is far more capable than that boy you have there."

Reinalt grit his teeth and turned to run, but Caster held out her other arm to stop him. "Don't. They are trying to draw you out. If you die, I die soon after. Save it." She said, closing her hand. Once she did, the darkness seemed to creep in, closing in on the limited light they had. In fact, the lanterns they were near seemed to become encircled by the darkness, small islands in a sea of shadow.

"Stay safe Reinalt. I can't win this fight, but I know someone who can. This… should make her come out. She likes the dark." Caster said, before stepping into the darkness.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Rider said, gripping her master's shoulder tightly. "I thought you said your magic could win this for us?!"

"I… I've never seen this before… I… I didn't know…" Annan replied, looking around him to see if anything was coming.

The lanterns seemed to flicker and the orb of light closed in around them. Rider and Annan were now back to back almost around the lantern, while Reinalt stood in the small light that remained and waited to see what was to happen.

A voice whispered to him moments later. It felt as if the voice had not been used in millennia. Dry, hollow words rang in his ears.

"Are… the…se… our… enemies?" It croaked.

Reinalt merely nodded as he felt the wind move beside him. "Thank you… Master. I shall… take care… of them…" It replied…

 _Stay strong… stay safe… stay strong… stay safe…_ It's all that Reinalt could think. This thing, whatever it was, was a part of his servant. She had said that there were more than just…. Her… So… who was this?

 _I am one of death young master,_ The voice said to him, speaking to his mind. _I am one with the Shadowlands. A place for the dead that I watch over. Many come to me and many stay under my wing. I used to be alive, just like you. I brought islands of the earth into creation, as well as welcome those that come through this long journey of life into Yomi._

As the words came to him, he saw hands and claws grasp at the two in front of him. Each claw and hand ripped away some of the watery shield that Annan had told them so much about.

"I am not dying here! Annan! Use your magic!" Rider said, using her nails to cut into his arm. Blood trickled down into the ground, and soon, the water coalesced and created a serpent like creature. As the blood came down and continued to go, the serpent grew and grew, and eventually, pierced the darkness, letting the light radiate from his watery form.

 _Ah… That is fine…_ Said the voice. Monotone and unchanging. _They shall lose this fight, instead of just their lives. Prepare yourself young master, I cannot protect you from this serpent._

He looked around him, nodded, and grabbed a part of the shadow closest to him. He felt a soft arm, cold to the touch, and rough with what felt like something crawling underneath it. _I cannot go with you. Let go of me, so that I may defend you and myself. I… thank you for the kind offering._

The voice sounded dejected and alone. Whatever it was, Reinalt felt that he was glad it was on his side. Taking the shadows from his side, he melded them with his body using his magic, and dashed forward into the darkness. His feet fell on stone, or what felt like stone, as he made his way towards the huge serpent that was ever growing. "I can't stop it! I… I can't tell it what to do!" Annan said as he wrapped his arm into his shirt to stop the blood from falling to the ground. "It's… it's going out of control!"

Reinalt felt a presence over him. It gripped his body, with hands that felt as if they had been to the peaks of the mountains he called home, their bitter cold cutting into him. The voice came back with the touch. "Severe… This… Serpent." It spoke in its dry and deathly tone once more. Reinalt leapt upwards, going far higher than he imagined just as the Serpent raised its head and lunged towards him. With a downward swing, Reinalt seemed to bring the shadows around him into his blade, and cast it downward in a swift attack which cut the serpent in two. The watery creatures burst as the water radiated out in all directions. It was as if it had begun to rain as he landed. Rider and Annan saw their foe in the dimming light as the shadows began to encompass him once more; two arms stretched out, and wrapped themselves around his shoulders, letting their hands meet and extend downward to his stomach.

"You… both… will leave… now…" He could barely make the words out, as he stumbled into the light of their lantern. The darkness began to fade the closer he got, and the form began more and more visible. Rider and Annan fled quickly, with Annan stumbling around trying to get away fast enough. As they got out of eyesight, Reinalt moved to the lantern post and sat down; his body feeling drained of all the warmth he had.

 _Rest here a moment master. I will retrieve Gaxi Sonnim. She will care for you in the coming light. I bid you farewell._

The voice rang in his ears, and Reinalt felt the warmth return to him as the light of the day was coming. Moments later, Caster was next to him again, checking him. "Well… You are safe I suppose. You did well Reinalt. Let's head back home… we can rest there."

Reinalt's consciousness faded soon after that, as Caster used her powers to carry Reinalt away to their abode. They had won their first true fight against a master and servant, and they struck fear into them. At what cost, Caster did not know yet, but she would make sure it did not happen again.

"I must get stronger as well… I guess I will have to ask for her help too…" She said, before tripping over a rock right outside of their home.

* * *

The fire was dying now in the first few hours of morning. Rin and Tokiomi had already gone to bed, Archer was nowhere to be found, while Lancer's place to rest was here in the den next to the fire. She felt strange. She was still alive, but holding on by threads that were severing slowly. She didn't feel as if she was dying, nor did she feel powerless. Was this the power of the Tohsaka household? Or of the residual mana from their spells that the house used? Either way, Lancer felt almost as good as when she was with Shin. He was by no means the most powerful in the ways of magic, but to her he was kind and knew her well. What could Tokiomi do to fill his spot? Also, what would happen to Lancer if she became his servant? Nothing bound her to the war now that her master was dead. If she gained a new master, who was not a part of the war, what then? Would she just live? And what of her new name? Would she change? There were so many questions that she needed answers to, and so many things had happened on the first day… It was all so much to take in.

"I want to live… but… This is all… so…"

"Strange and sudden?"

Archer said, coming through the door. "I've been here for a few minutes. I am sorry for listening in…"

Lancer looked away a moment, but then turned back. "What was your summoning like? How are you so… calm about all this? You are here to fight, and yet you act so… so…"

"To put it simply… my entire clan… my family… was killed. A disease took a hold of our land, and killed us all. All except me. I am the last of my kind. I am but a person in a world that might not need me anymore. Rin summoned me here, trusting I could get the job done. Someone… needed me." He said, looking to her intently.

"I will do all I can to make sure this gets done. Rin trusts me. I cannot betray that trust."

Lancer contemplated on it, as they both sat in silence for what felt like an eternity. Rin did seem much more composed and understood than the other masters she had seen. Perhaps becoming Tokiomi's servant wouldn't be so bad. He seemed capable by all means, and much more powerful than Shin.

"Perhaps… I will do it. Once… Mr. Tohsaka wakes up… I will ask him what we must do for the binding… and I will become his servant." She said, resolution and determination in her voice now.

Archer gave her a smile and nodded as the fire flickered and the sun rose. The first day of the war was over, and the second day was about to begin. Death was sure to follow, but none wanted to truly spill it like some wanted to see. With the last day closed and the next opening, Archer stood and breathed the smoky smell of the den in deeply.

"This war must end soon. No one should ever go through something as heinous as this."


	14. Chapter 13

Each step in the process was crucial. Blood from Lancer had already been drawn and lay in a small dish on a table. The bone dust chalk that Tokiomi rubbed on the hard stone floor of the basement seemed to glow once the first circle was complete. They symbols did the same once they were completed outside of the circle, and the same for those in their respective places. An intricate design lay on the stones, with a large central area, open for Lancer to stand in. Tokiomi lit candles around the room, but seven candles stood in strategic spots, linked by lines to give the circle two triangles that stood inside it. Then with a pinch of spice at each candle, smoke began to waft through the air, mingling around the center of the circle. "If you are ready Lancer… we can begin. Will you proceed?" Tokiomi said with a bow and raised arm towards her. She took his arm gently. As she did, magic rushed through her. She felt invigorated, as if she could fight for a thousand battles and never tire. "What… is this…?" She said, gasping.

"If you are to go through this process, you will need mana. I can't have you withering once the process starts. This should keep you with us for the entire duration." He replied. "This won't hurt, but it will make you very tired."

She looked to the circle, and nodded. There was no turning back once she entered that circle. All she could do would be to speak and stay inside. If she was going to decline his offer, now was her last chance.

She stepped inside gingerly, her robe was lifted to insure no marks were made to the magic circles and the candles were not tipped over. Once she crossed the threshold of the candles, Tokiomi began the process. "What do you smell Lancer?" He sat the dish of blood at the head of the point that would face Lancer.

 _A strange question,_ she thought, _Smell? It smells like a musty dungeon or basement. Moss and mushrooms grow here. But… now that I think about it…_ She sniffed the air, and her mood brightened. "It smells… like baked bread, and cinnamon." _What form of magic is this? This is a binding ritual is it not? What… is all of this?_

"Good. Now sit in the middle please, and take in the smells a moment. Tell me what you smell, or if you want, what you see in your mind." He said, walking around the circle, checking the sigils and markings as well as the candles' flame.

She breathed deeply over and over again. Each time, a new wave of smells came to her, as well as images of scenes they embody. The first were of a banquet, smoky meats spun on a rack over an open flame, while a small fire was under a grill, where vegetables were salted, slathered in sauces, and made to perfection. Fruits were laid on the table already, many people partaking in their sweetness and delicious smells as well. At the head, a woman sat next to her husband as he belted a glorious speech of all they had accomplished in the year. A feast day was progressing quickly, and Lancer could feel the warmth and hospitality from the chief, or leader at the head of the table.

Soon, the smells changed however, and soon, fire, burnt flesh, and the smell of blood came through her nose. The disgusting smell almost made her gag as she described it to everyone in the room. "It is a part of the ritual," Tokiomi said, as he moved in front of her. "Continue, please."

"War… It's what I see. I smell burning flesh, blood, death, decay… All around me. The family I saw before, they are at war. The leader, spear raised high and voice echoing over the battlefield… he goes to attack… but it cut down… Back at home, his wife has already heard the news… While the battle was won, the leader had fallen. Now… She wields his spear and helm, and offers her enemies a chance before her wrath is cast down." Lancer said, as the smoke begins to form around her.

"Focus on that woman for me," Tokiomi said, standing in front of the circle, facing Lancer. "Close your eyes and focus on her. Tell us about her if you want."

Lancer followed through with what he said immediately. "She's beautiful. White skin like the moon, black hair flowing to her back, and deep honey eyes that have seen far too much in her life to tell in a lifetime or two; her body has muscle and meat, rather than just skin and bones, and she wears scars of battles she has participated in, on the battlefield known as the home, kitchen, plains, mountains, and within her own clan. She is a woman of hospitality, treating even her enemies as guests she must take care of, either by heat from a fire, or a spear to the gut. Ruthless? No… Courageous. She looks at fear with eyes of a warrior, a mother, and a woman of integrity. If a fight must happen, so be it, but once over, we will treat you with the utmost care. She sits under an evening sky, the soft orange and reds of the day stretching above her as she speaks to her husband of all she's seen and heard. She is lonely, but never alone. Her spear, her husband's weapon, tells her much of who he was in battle, and she feels as if she can do just as much as long as she has it. The helm he wore, does the same. She feels it's much too big for her, but she is intimidating in it, feeling her husband's wrath to those that would oppose his family. She… she's…" Lancer gasped as the smoke swirled around her, becoming thicker and enveloping her.

"What is her name Lancer!?" Tokiomi said, holding his hands out, trying to keep the mana from the ritual from spilling out.

"I… I don't know!" Said a different voice in the cloud. It sounded like Lancer… but not at the same time. A twisted form of alto and soprano melded together, and fluctuated.

"What is her name!? You do know it! It is a part of you!" He replied, as a shot of smoke zipped through and hit a wall.

 _That man was a warrior… I am as well… and his wife… is also like me? Is that what… Shin and I were in a past life? Were we happy like them? Would he defend me like that? Would he… be my spear and helm?_

"Radegast!" The voice said, no longer the meek and timid Lancer as before. The smoke burst open, extinguishing the candles and blasting the chalk that was still on the ground outward. As the smoke cleared, what stood before them was just as she described. A spear was in her right hand that looked made of an ancient wood and was tipped with an iron blade. The helm looked much like a head of a bull, with horns and all, and was the color of burnt wood. As her eyes focused, she looked to everyone with astonishment.

"I… feel…" She gasped a moment. "I sound… much different." She said, before moving over to Tokiomi. "Did… did it work?"

Tokiomi handed her a mirror. "Look for yourself Lancer."

As Lancer lifted the mirror to her gaze, tears began rolling down her face. What she saw, she thought was beautiful, and amazing to behold. "This… is me? I… I never looked like this…"

"Another part of you did however. This appearance is another… let's say depiction of you from legend. A warrior queen if there was ever such a thing." He said looking to Rin and Archer, who had been observing the ritual for the duration of it. "What do you all think? Wonderful don't you agree?"

Rin had to admit, it was quite the feat. While no mere illusion or magical guise, this was truly a change from one entity into another. The mana she radiated was different from what it was before, and certainly her appearance was different. "It's… amazing father… And I do mean that." She cleared her throat. "But now what will you do with her? You've been made a master, and her your servant. What plan do you have to win this war with us?"

"I plan to kill the King's Advisor," He said plainly. "That is the quickest way to end this war. And by ending it, I believe we would win, don't you think?"

"That would work if we knew how powerful that advisor was. Do you know what power they hold?" Rin replied, an irritated look coming across her face.

"Of course not Rin. I have not seen her use magic, nor can I feel any mana coming from her. She is simply a normal human." He replied.

"What good would killing her do then!? Think this through! I understand she was the one who brought this war to the King's mind, but is she the key to it all?"

"We won't know until we bring her down." He replied with a smirk.

"Of course… That's your plan is it?"

Lancer put the mirror on a table close by and moved to stand beside Archer. "How was it? Strange I would imagine?" he said with a gentle smile.

"It… it was… It was as if I relived the life that this version of me did. My memories are all combined together. It's as if… I entered this body and let the other person rest." She said with a slight bow, thinking it courteous to the version she sent on to rest.

Archer smiled at her, giving her a compassionate look as she found his gaze and she reciprocated the smile. The two awaited their master's to finish their argument before they set to enact the plan that may or may not come to fruition from them.

* * *

The morning light came in through the blinds of the room. Sophia shot up quickly, checking her surroundings. The memories of the night become came back in a trickle. Once she stood up and dressed herself, she made her way down to where the innkeeper and Assassin were talking over some morning drinks. "Magic's weird man. I never knew there were so many different ways to use it." Assassin said, stretching her arms upwards. Paul gave her a little laugh. "There's plenty of different ways to use it from the mages I've seen come in here. Hell, one time we had a woman use bones as a catalyst! She would ask for the chicken and turkey bones to use for her spells! She made lil' dolls out of the smaller bones before and made 'em dance on tables! It's insane what these mages can do!"

With that, Sophia stepped on the one step that made the loudest creak in the entire inn. "The princess finally stirs from her bed. G'morning Sophia. Hope you slept well."

Sophia looked at her puzzled before sitting down. "Did I… Pass out after we escaped?"

"You told me we were going to have a talk, and then just fell over. Scared the shit outta me."

Sophia just glanced her way with a blank stare. "Me too. Especially when you confronted that maniac girl and her servant that looks like a tree."

"Hey speaking of that, we were supposed to have a talk right? What you wanna talk about?" She said taking another drink.

"What are you Assassin? I don't mean your class… Who and what are you?" Sophia said with a resolve that Assassin had never seen. She continued, "I trust you with my life, and I've trusted you since the summoning. I want you to trust me so I can know just what you can do and see if we can do better in this war together."

Assassin looked down to her drink, and sighed deeply. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to tell you all this. It's a dark past Sophia…" She said, trying not to laugh at herself. "That's a lie of course… but… you are right… I've not told you anything. I suppose we do have time." She looked over to Paul. "Could you whip up something delicious for breakfast? Please and thanks?"

He nodded with a smile and made his way to the kitchen to prepare. Sophia sat down across from Assassin and waited attentively for her to begin.

"I suppose… Where should I start? I… I guess my name right?" She gave a halfhearted smile. "Anansi." She said, sending shivers up her own spine. "It's been so long since I've even said my own name. While my story is nothing special, how I became what I am that is… you want to hear it… so…" She let out a small sigh. "Okay… this… this is kind of hard…"

A moment passed in silence as the sizzle of food could be heard in the kitchen. "I'm a trickster. I was a simple spider, made by the sky-god, Nyame." Sophia recognized the name once she said it, and her eyes got wide. "Relax. It's another name for that big brute. The Sky-God goes by names and guises aplenty. No reason that one of them could be a mindless brute capable of leveling cities. Anyway, back to me!" She smiled before continuing. "You see, Nyame made a lot of different gods to be over things. Some were over the earth, the sea, the lower skies to his, wind, rain, a ton of things. I had nothing. I was the god 'over many things, but nothing at all,' and that irked me. So, I asked him, 'Let me be the god over stories and knowledge.' I said, to which he just laughed at me. Said I was too irresponsible; that I tricked too many of the other gods into doing things for me or getting out of doing things. Which he wasn't wrong… but I felt like I did… absolutely nothing for the world, and I was getting pretty bored. So… I tried bargaining with him. I asked him, 'How much then? How much would you take to give me all the stories and knowledge in the world?'"

Sophia couldn't believe all this. She had never heard of a deity like this before. Just where did Assassin come from? Why did she become Sophia's servant? There were so many questions, but she sat attentive, waiting for Anansi to finish.

"He laughed again, and said if I brought him Onini, Osebo, and Mboro, alive, then I can have what I ask for. Chumps. All of them. I made them come one way or another and sure enough, he kept to his word. I became the god of stories. The shaper of tales and the knower of things." She shrugged. "I horded that knowledge until someone set me straight. And now, here we are. That's about all I know." She grinned, waiting for Sophia to burst with questions.

Paul came out soon after, holding two large plates full of food. "Breakfast is ready you two! Eat as much as you want!" He said, before going back and making himself his how plate of food.

Assassin was already stuffing her face when Sophia broke the silence that had come as Paul left. "Do you know the names and legends of the servants in this war?"

Assassin coughed a little, taken aback by the question. "You are too sharp for your own good. Somewhat. I can show you… Just give me a moment."

With a few hushed breathes and a smattering of words Sophia had no idea what were, before them, a book materialized slowly. It looked ragged and hardly legible, but Assassin began to leaf through it slowly. "Who do you want to know about?" She said, "I've already researched quite a few… well except our friends Archer and Rin."

"All of them. Tell me all you can." Sophia said, before taking a few bites of the spread of food before her.

* * *

The fear was gone. In the black depths of the King's Estate, Al'ana kneeled to her master. She did not fear her master. She accepted her master's ways, did not object to her master's ideals, and felt that she was the most powerful being on the earth. With the power she granted her, Al'ana could decimate anything that lay in her path. Even the Sky Father was nothing compared to this power. She didn't need him anymore. The call came as she rested there on her knee. She stood swiftly, and came to her master's side, and with a gentle bow, she spoke.

"What is it you ask of me?" She said, a gentle and almost serene tone to her voice; a stark contrast to the guttural and almost primal vocal pattern from the previous day. As the sun rose and crested the distant hill, a smile crept across her master's face.

"It's time we claim another for the grail. Kill the servant called Saber, and do what you want to the little boy who is his master," she said with an evil grin.

"As you wish Master." The name felt heavy to her for some reason. It didn't come as easily as the other words, as if it was poison to her lips. She rose, and made her way out of the estate. "Come Servant!" She said with a commanding voice. The ground quaked and moved as the servant came into view from beside the manor of a home. "Let us show our Master our newfound power."

* * *

A night of recovery and restless sleep was all that was before Annan and Rider. She had wanted so very much to destroy the little Caster and her Servant. She seemed the weakest in might after all, and while Rider wasn't the strongest, she knew for sure that she could best the little being in strength. _What the hell was that… darkness?_

"Rider… I…" Annan started, but soon faltered to a quiet sigh.

Rider began with that same sigh. "A loss is a loss. We escaped with our lives. Tomorrow, we try again. Perhaps another target."

"Who?" Annan said, rolling over to see the coiled snake tail of his servant before looking up to the more human form.

"There are still the Assassin, and the Archer. The Lancer should be dead soon since it's Master is now gone." She replied, resting her arm on one of her coils. "Either… Either of them… we should be…"

Annan rolled back over, and tried to get himself comfortable for the long night ahead. As his eyes closed and he felt sleep finally come, he could hear something in the back of his mind. Something soft and soothing, something that he would never think he would hear where he was.

 _I see the eyes in the sky looking down on me,_

 _I heard my name called, as it used to be._

 _We are together, and nothing can stop us,_

 _Because we are one, and nothing can stop love._

 _Long ago we were children in ways,_

 _And now we sit and reminisce about those days._

 _Let it be known that I am beside you,_

 _And let them know that you are with me._

 _They watch us now, believing in their own words._

 _We don't need them._

 _They tell stories and gossip about our lives._

 _We don't want them._

 _We, us and ourselves._

 _We are all we need._

A lullaby it wasn't, but there was something about the soft and soothing voice that sang it. Was it all in his head? What could this voice be? Who could have sang such a song so sweetly? Questions and music ran through his mind as he felt his body drift into sleep, and into dreams.

* * *

The ruling family had a large stake in this war; moreso for the prestige and the name of Champion becoming that of a great line of mages as well as warriors. A squad of one hundred soldiers moved through the city quietly and quickly to assist the young master in any way they could. Once the war started, twenty deserted; and since the barrier around the city was constructed, another twenty-five left, to try and flee. Since the war started, thirty-nine had been killed or have disappeared. With nineteen soldiers watching over them the day before, as they awoke this morning to find dead bodies at the front door of nine more soldiers, they were not surprised.

The young master however, was more of a broken and glazed over husk of what he once was. Training had prepared him for what he needed to do in this war, but nothing could help restore his mind of the images of a pile of dead bodies at the doorstep of a home. "More… They simply won't stop." Saber said, as he exited the building and removed the bodies out of sight. "A proper burial… we cannot accomplish now. We have to find those other masters and servants." Saber said as he came back in to find his master ready to go. He shuffled back and forth a bit. "Saber… are we doing the right thing?"

"As far as I know Master… we are. We are doing what this game asks of us. What else can we do?" Saber said, seeing if his young master would come to the same conclusion as he.

"A game? It… it does just feel like a big game that someone is watching… How could… people enjoy this?" He replied, exiting the house, still able to smell the starting smell of the bodies. His whole life, Ignus had grown up in a castle. He was not allowed to practice with his older brothers due to his affinity for books and the magical arts. He had a teacher for that… but he wanted his father's approval above all else. He tried and tried, every time he could to impress him but to no avail. He felt like an eyesore, and as if he could never come up to the expectations that his father might have set for him. But now, with him being a part of this war, his father had smiled at him, and saw him off on his journey to Melephast. The feeling of that smile… and his father just being there… It was enough to make him get through the first day…

Now however, everything was coming back. Father knew how to wage war, kill, and continue on. Seeing dead bodies… it was disgusting and unnerving. Ignus had no want to see war, or the killing of people. He'd heard so many stories, that they had scared him away. With Saber around, he only needed to support his servant, and he would do the job for him… But even now…

"Do we still have to fight?" He asked Saber, his voice cracking, which made Saber chuckle.

"That is entirely up to you Master. There are many ways around conflict, and there are many ways that conflict can be resolved. You just have to think, and discover for yourself. It is a hard road regardless." He said plainly. He could hear the slump in his young master's shoulders behind him.

"While it isn't the best answer, it is the truest answer. Sometimes, conflict must happen for a desirable outcome to happen."

"Soon, I think our guard will be depleted. It'll just be…" He paused… allowing the thought to seep into his own mind.

"Just us two. I will protect you young master. Do not worry." Saber said with a grin.

Ignus felt at ease for a moment, until the earth began to shake below him. A feeling of dread rolled through his body. "Is that… the…"

"Get behind me Master," He said, before a roar of power burst their way as the gargantuan creature of a servant moved towards them with a figure of a girl on one of its massive shoulders.

"It's… that beast of a creature and that woman… Stay back Ignus. They must be looking to take us down." Saber said once more, readying himself.

Shaking and trembling, Ignus stood his ground behind his servant, book in hand and ready to cast any spell he could to help. He and Saber knew that this fight would be a hard one. Honor was not on their opponents mind. Total destruction was the only thing they seemed to think about.

The figure stood on the servant's shoulder, and yelled something to them. As they got closer, they could make it out. What Ignus heard, terrified him.

"I am Al'ana Ya'harl, under the King's Advisor as their chosen Champion of this war! Death is all that awaits you! Fall on your swords now for a quick death. I will not give you such pleasures in our coming battle!"

* * *

The plan was set. First, they needed to know what they were up against, and then, perhaps, maybe, they just might be able to figure out what to do next. But as of now, their main goal was scouting. Lancer exited the Manor with Rin and Archer for her first assignment. "Master said he can supply me with mana from here, and make sure I am not a hindrance. Does that sound alright to you guys?"

"As long as father doesn't try anything suspicious with you or this war, then by all means do as he says. We can always use the extra help." Rin said, looking to Archer, who nodded in return. "More eyes to spot enemies and more help on in battles if we need. It makes sense to me." He said.

As they made their way down the road back into the city proper, they could feel a presence in the air. A stench of hostility, fear, and pain hung in the air far off from them. As they walked closer to town, the sound of weapons clashing and buildings coming down filled their ears. They all rushed to the scene as quickly as possible. Nothing good could come from such horrible sounds.

What they saw was terrifying. Saber stood in a deadlock grip with the gargantuan creature that was Al'ana's servant. Blood covered their bodies and the street below them. The two warriors had been clashing the entire time, and neither of them seemed to be giving an inch.

"Ah perfect!" Said a strangely familiar but different voice. The tribal tone was masked by a sense of servitude. A force was over the voice that was not its own. "Now that you've gathered as well, I can give you to my master as well!"

She came down from atop her servant, drawing her whip and sword, licking her lips at her new prey. "Prepare yourselves worms. I will be your combatant!"


	15. Chapter 14

Hands interlocked to form a nearly unbreakable bond, weapons cast aside for more mundane methods, and the fight was at a standstill with both Servants pushing the other with all their strength. The surrounding buildings had been leveled by their apparently flailing or swinging of weapons and bodies, and now, all that remained was them and their fighting. Before them, the woman who sacrificed her servants to summon such a beast stood, wielding her weapons at the ready, and slowly walking forward. She looked similar to the last time they saw her, but in some ways different. Perhaps it was the mana she was giving off. It felt even more tainted and corrupted than before. As if her blood magic could take a step farther into cruelty and power. Her movements, now somehow elegant to see, held a sense resembling the pride of a decorated warrior, rather than a barbarian tribal scrapper. Her whip, while still very much a part of her tribal ancestry, was held in a way that made it seem like a weapon of finesse and precision, and the blade was held with a stance in mind. In the time from the summoning to now, it was as if a whole other person had embodied this vessel alongside another. Ages of knowledge filled her mind as was being practiced before them.

"Now, you three," She said, pointing her blade to Rin, Archer, and Lancer, "I shall take you all on in any order you choose. I cannot allow you to interfere with my Servant and Saber. Who shall be the first to fall, hmm? Step forward."

Rin drew a gem from her pocket and launched it at Al'ana. With a blast of magical power akin to an explosion, she guarded herself just in time to withstand little damage and block most of the blast. Pushed back slightly, the three began to advance.

"You have tricks I see!" She said; a large and almost maniacal grin on her face. "I enjoy tricks. I can show you one of my own!" She screamed at the group running to the action. With a swift slit, she used her blade to cut into her arm, spilling blood behind her, into her shadow. As it hit the ground behind her in the darkness, each drop seemed to disappear, as if it were being evaporated, or devoured.

As the bleeding slowed, the shadow reached upward, grasping for more sustenance and power. "Awaken! Do my bidding creature of darkness! I command you to attack these cowards to your death!"

Gripping the edge of her shadow, where the light met the ever expansive darkness, shadowy hands reached upwards as if grasping a ledge and pulled themselves up and out of the darkness. Two copies of Al'ana stood beside her, one wielding a shadowy version of her whip, and the other the same with the sword.

The three lunged forward, tailing after their enemies before jumping in front of them to cut them off. "Fine cowards! It is time to die!" She said triumphantly.

The whip wielding shadow moved to Archer, while the sword wielding shadow moved to Lancer, leaving Al'ana to combat Rin. With her pride hurt by the first attack, it was more for revenge than anything now.

With a sigh, Rin gave an order. "Split up and deal with them while I deal with her. Come to help once you are done or head to those two fighting. Got it?"

A nod came from both as Archer and Lancer led their opponents away from Rin as they began their respective fights. As the deadlock of power behind them continued to flow back and forth between the combatants.

* * *

Saber pushed forward, rearing his head back to land a solid blow to the head of the other servant. His master had but a spell on him, one of physical morphing and even more strength. He was equal in size and strength to the man now, but the gods only knew how long his body could hold off such a mammoth of a creature. He was strong and unrelenting. A barbarian of immense strength and immense rage upon the battle field, bloodlust and anger filled him with his power and stamina. Saber on the other hand, had this strength and size from magic, and it was dwindling fast. Soon, he would be crushed under the power that the demon displayed. If he could use his weapon, he had more than a fighting chance.

He could feel the other combatants around him; Archer and Rin, and the Lancer from before, but instilled with a new power inside of her, as well as observers below the street and atop the roofs. They were here to help or fight the victor, and he was sure that that would be himself. His master was keeping his chant going for his magic, but he was dwindling, and the power was fading. The two had little in the ways of options, except for a few tricks up their sleeves.

"Ignus!" Saber said, with what little strength he had left. "Take out the horn… and blow it!"

Ignus spent no time on thought, and rummaged through his pack, finding the horn. With a swift movement, he lifted the horn and pursed his lips, letting out a rip of sound from the instrument. It billowed and shook the body in a way that felt as if energy was welling up inside them. A power akin to a blessing of light came forth from an opening in the sky. Rays of golden light burst downward, illuminating the two creatures in locked combat. As the light shown stronger, Saber's skin began to lighten, and grow far whiter than even his opponent's. The power inside everyone affected him as well, as he launched the enemy off of him, freeing his hands, and as he lifted his open hand to the sky, he gripped the light itself, and brought it to his side. A sword cloaked in brightness, with a metal as white hot as the sun and just as deadly, he lunged forth, and thrust the sword into the chest of the gargantuan creature. With a gurgle of pain and a loud crash, the being fell backwards, seemingly on its last legs. With the last ounce of his strength, Saber moved over to his master. "Give me the horn Ignus. I… need some nourishment."

His master held it out, somewhat out of fear at what just happened. Saber took it, and turned the horn upwards and seemingly drank from the wider end. From the horn, a honey brown colored liquid spilled forth, smelling of mead and sweet flavors. Once done, he dropped it to his side, and breathed a heavy sigh. "This fight… may not be over… but… for now… we have some time…"

The shadowy opponents fought by Archer and Lancer dissipated with the light, and with the servant reeling from the attack and white hot blade of Saber, Al'ana went to him. "Master said this would happen." She said, next to her servant who was screaming in pain. "We cannot let them get the best of us. We… have ways to fix this…" She turned with an evil stare. "Know that you all are lucky to be able to witness something so great. And think yourself spared for the time being of my wrath; you and your Archer and Lancer."

With that, Al'ana turned and got atop her servant and dug a deep wound into her arm. "Everyone!" Saber said, to all that could or would be willing to fight. "This creature is soon to rise again! I call upon your strength to aid me in this fight. Know that this creature is truly our enemy! Once this creature is gone, we can truly start this war! With our power together we stand a chance!" He raised himself up, raising one hand high, gripping another sword of light and readying it. Archer, Rin, and Lancer ran to Ignus and Saber's side, and waited for what was to come. "Do you have any idea what we are up against?!" Rin asked Ignus and Saber. Ignus shook his head violently, scared and afraid of what he was to face as well as his own servant now. Archer and Lancer stood in front of Rin at the ready, awaiting what was to come. Aside those, from the sky, two more figures came into view. Sophia and Assassin stood ready, the master with knives and a dagger, and her servant, with a multitude of throwing weapons, and of all things; a book.

"Rin!" Sophia said, pulling her mask down. "This creature… He's… He's something else… I'll explain later but… we can fend him off for now, but soon we won't be able to…"

With a roar of power and pain, the creature stood up, with Al'ana almost limping beside him, her arm dripping with blood. Its chest wound nearly sealed, and his eyes burning with the fury of hatred towards everyone before him, he bounded towards them. "Destroy them Sky-Father! Kill them all!" Al'ana said, as she collapsed to the ground, exhausted and barely conscious. Saber readied his blade and went forward. "Prepare yourselves! Here he comes!" The two bounded towards one another, a being of light and glory, against a creature of unyielding power and rage. Archer and the others were behind him, following to support, but once they struck one another, they were pushed back from the force. As they stood up, they could see the two in an orb of darkness, battling and clashing as sparks of light came through as Saber's blade missed or shot off of the other servant's guard.

"Sophia!" Rin said, amidst the chaos of the fight. "What the hell is that thing!?"

Sophia took a breath as she watched the carnage unfold before her. Saber had hit his mark and stabbed into his opponent, but the blow was nothing now. Lifting Saber up, his hand on his throat, the servant used his hand to dig into Saber's stomach, ripping and tearing at the skin, muscles, and innards. Al'ana's cackle of madness rang out behind the onslaught. "Yes! YEEESSS!"

Sophia took in a gasp of air before answering. "He is Tengri. He did have the class of Cleric… but… now… He is a Berserker."

* * *

His eyes had a glow to them. Red with anger, rage, and pure unyielding power. His body moved with speed unknown to something of that size, and the noises he made were akin to a battle cry of a killing machine. The opponents the berserker faced were creatures half the size of him, and not nearly as powerful. Tossing the body of the now dying Saber against a wall, he began quickly making his advance towards the others.

"Assassin!" Sophia exclaimed with a rushed yell. "Do it!"

Assassin opened her book quickly, and began flipping pages. Once finding what she was looking for, she began to recite the words she needed. "Gyae," she said in a commanding tone. All at once, Berserker seemed to stop, straining under a great force to even try to put its foot down to move forward.

"Assassin! Next one!" Sophia commanded. "Way ahead of you! Calm down!" Assassin replied, fingering through the pages again. "Dwiriw," The hushed voice echoed around them as the ground itself began to shake. It centered on Berserker, and as the shaking intensified, the ground below crumpled, and sank; engulfing him in earth and stone. All but his head and one arm. The ground solidified and soon, halted his movements completely. With the terrifying spectacle now done, and the beast expending its energy trying to draw itself from the ground, the master's breathed a small sigh of relief; all but Ignus that is. Slowly and silently, he made his way around the brute to the hollow shell of his servant. Al'ana, hardly any energy left to stand, laughed at him as he came to see the body of his servant and friend. "You worthless little worm. How does it feel to have the mighty break you and all you have? You are nothing now. You are a master with no servant. You are not fit for the Grail!" she spit in his direction, but could hardly get the saliva out of her mouth. She fell to the ground, blood spilling on the ground. "Must… get to… Master…" She said, crawling away slowly.

Ignus paid her no mind. Saber still held breath, and Ignus was determined to keep his servant alive. He dropped to his side and began reciting a healing spell as quickly as possible, but no matter how much he tried, the blood would not stop, and the pain would not subside. Saber lifted his hand to his master, and laid it on his lap. With the last of his strength, he spoke to him.

"You are a strong young man Ignus. You have shown me much of this world, and many things I will never forget. Wonderful things and bad things. Once your time comes to pass on, come see me. We will drink mead together in Himinbjorg, and you will tell me all about the women you've met and the adventures you've done!" He let out a laugh that brought blood with it. "Stay true to yourself and your ideals. This war will be won by the side of good. Help these people as best as you can. I will be watching you from above. Good… luck…. Ignus…" He dwindled off as the last of his strength left him. His body stayed still before being engulfed in a light that seemed to come from the King's Estate.

"That… must be…"

"The Grail!" Al'ana exclaimed from her crawling physique. The light made its way around the estate, and settled atop it. "That must be where that advisor is…" Rin said, looking to the others. "We'll be heading there shortly," Sophia replied, making her way to Berserker. "Assassin, say the final word."

Assassin flipped through the book one more time, and found the word she needed.

"Ka," She said. The words shook the earth below, and the bodies of all around. With a hard hit of force, Berserker let out a cry, and then, he spoke.

"Tengri… is… god… of… sky…" it spoke, in a deep and forced growl of a voice, "Grail… will fill… with life… and then… world… dies…"


	16. Chapter 15

She could feel the energy flow through her as she could sense the grail filling with life. Another servant slain or at best, a master's death. It was akin to ambrosia, the warmth that filled her body; She felt more alive than ever before and every fiber of her being brimmed with energy and mana. She was rolling on the bed in the King's Grotto when a knock fell on the door. "Come in! Come in my champion!" She said with a giggle, rolling up to the foot of the bed to see the battered and still bleeding Al'ana drag her fee through the door. She planted herself before the foot of the bed, on both knees, bowing to her new master. "I have… returned… master." Al'ana said, breathing heavily between the words.

"Good. I sense that Saber was taken care of, but what of Berserker? Did you abandon him?" She said with a stabbing voice. "He is just as important to the grail as is Saber."

"He was somehow captured by the other servants and masters with some binding magic. I could not retrieve him… however, he will not die anytime soon. He is a far stronger warrior than that."

 _She trusts that thing this much? What delusional creature did I happen upon?_ The advisor thought to herself. "Well then, we will see what becomes of him. Now… you seemed to have gone to great lengths to extinguish Saber for the grail. Your mana is seeping out of you. I will heal your wounds…"

Al'ana looked upwards and met her master's gaze. In an instant, she was motionless, but fully aware of what was to happen. She saw at the room dimmed, sucking all light out from it. Outside, the pale light of night seemed to fade to darkness, as the shadows began to creep closer and closer. Her master's eyes in the darkness were her guiding light, and all she needed. Their soft glow told her to be patient and strong, and to endure what was to come. If she would, she would be granted more power, and be able to continue fighting. The shadows lapped at her body. Each gash, wound, and scrape, she could feel being burned away. The feeling of a cold unknown to any land raced across each spot, nipping at the wounds, replacing her broken and bleeding flesh with shadowed versions of what was kept in the expanse before her. She could feel herself succumbing to the shadows, and before she knew it, she awoke; still resting before her master. "There you are child. Free of pain and wounds. Now, would you retrieve your servant and kill the others please? This War has gone on for long enough."

"Yes Master. I won't be long." Al'ana spoke, but felt strained, as if something had taken her voice, and replaced it. She had felt this before, but not this strongly. What were those shadows doing to her?

"Is there something the matter child?" The voice was not spoken to her, but rather echoed in her mind, as if it had crept in; unwanted.

"Nothing Master… consider the others…. Dealt with." She replied, before exiting again.

Not but an hour passed in the time Al'ana was away from the battle below. It was not far, but why did it feel like her entire being was… different? Inside and out, she felt hollow, cold, and somehow… afraid. Fear was not an emotion she remembered before she met Master. She had thought it was loyalty, but now she knew, this was fear. Genuine fear for her soul and her life.

Leysritt looked over to the open windowed balcony and made her way there. The smell of burned blood and expended life hung in the air like a fog. She could see it, collecting above her to the spot where the grail would manifest. She was glad to be rid of Saber. With him gone, the Grail was more than half full, and soon, with the death of Berserker, it would only be a matter of time before it was ready.

"I've done my best…" she said, above her, "Your Excellence. It will not be long now, and you may come back into the world. It will only be… a few moments more for you."

She lifted her hands upwards, stretching, and with a sigh of relief, she let them roll down her body to her sides. "I will be honest master, if I could bask in this lifeforce like you do, I don't think I would want to come out anytime soon. Why do you wish to manifest here? In this time period? In this timeline? With this… form?"

A pressure came all at once. The smell of blood and life extinguished itself around her as she held herself as strong as she could against the railing of the balcony. She heard words that she could hardly understand, and concepts that stretched thousands of hundreds of years into the future. Everything, was planned for if this process was completed, and as long as no one halted the process, or killed Leysritt, the orchestrator of all this, nothing could stop the plan from completing. A grail that was truly meant to reset the world, and reset time; the universe even.

It had to be now. And thus, it spoke to her in all it could.

"I… Understand Master." Leysritt said, looking out across the city. This will be her master's new kingdom. A kingdom so small for something so powerful. Leysritt could not wait to see what they would create once they came from the grail. It was only a matter of time. Time and mana…

* * *

Assassin dropped to her knees and gasped for a moment. The magic she used was akin to changing fate. A single word that could pierce through any legendary armor, or strike down any destined hero. She had only used the words when she became the keeper of knowledge, and the strain on her body from all the words were taking their toll. Sophia moved over to her servant, but was brushed away.

"I'm fine Sophia. Just need to rest. Took a lot out of me just to say three words. I didn't think…" She wobbled a little, trying to stand until she went back to her knees, "I was so out of shape."

"Just rest. Tengri isn't moving anytime soon. He will soon though," Rin said, looking at the huge man as he began to crack the earth around him trying to wriggle free from his stony prison. "We'll need to leave soon. Al'ana will be back and she will want us dead. We will need to regroup and…" Rin placed her hand to her chin, and thought a moment.

"What is it Rin?" Archer moved in, awaiting any order that could make this situation safer and more under control. Lancer followed on the other side.

"We need Rider and Caster." She said, before hearing a soft sigh from Assassin and Sophia.

* * *

It could have only been described as cute. Reinalt had woken up just moments ago to see Caster floating in midair, meditating from what it seemed. He didn't interrupt her. He knew the punishment for that already. The sneeze came after that. A small little noise and then a soft sniffle before she landed on her feet. "Someone's… talking about me." She said, grabbing a cloth from the table and wiping her nose. Reinalt let out a stifled laugh that gave him away.

"You were awake and didn't say anything!?" Caster turned with a red face, waving the cloth at him.

"Hey hey! Stop! You are throwing your snot everywhere!" He said as he covered up with the blanket, poking fun at her some more.

She quickly discarded it and turned back to him. "How are you feeling? Is your body still cold? You aren't running a fever or anything but do you feel alright?" She said, as if a mother to a son, or an older sister to her younger brother.

"I'm fine Caster. Really. I feel fine. More importantly, what were you up to? Meditating?"

"Talking mostly. Trying to talk to a few of the other… ones…" She said, trying to find a word for the other beings that inhabit her form.

"Why? Just asking questions?" Reinalt said inquisitively.

She took a deep breath. "You are strong Reinalt. Very strong. While I am quick and able to hold my own, I am still inexperienced with… using my magic in fights and fighting for longer periods of time. I was hoping I could get some pointers, training, anything from one of them; I talked to an old disease deity like myself, Zuggtmoy, but she only saw you and everyone here as a way to cook up new diseases; A few of the death deities… Nephthys protected those passing to death, while another, Persephone, cursed those that were passing to death, making their afterlives more hellish. Still another, Hel, told me of what I may be looking for…"

She gave a sigh and shook her head. "She led me to Mania and Keres, insane and bloodthirsty beings that just want to kill in the most savage of ways. Claws, gnashing teeth, weapons… They were strong, and they could still speak… somewhat of what they did to their victims."

A silence stood between them for a moment, awaiting one of them to recognize what was going on. Caster wished for strength, just as Reinalt did, but the price she would have to pay would be great, and it could destroy her.

"If I learn from all of them… I will be a far different person… I'll be…"

"Just be you."

The words broke through her stupor. Reinalt smiled down to her and nodded. "You just be you. You are strong and can just keep learning how to use what you have. I mean, you can do a lot with shadows and stuff right? Just keep experimenting… there could be a lot more that you can do that you aren't thinking of."

Caster thought for a moment and then smiled back. "You are right. We can win this war. All we have to do is do our best. We can do it together!" _Of course._ She thought to herself, _Why did I even bother? I knew I can count on him._

"Alright! Well, to celebrate us winning, let's eat! I'm starving!" Reinalt said as he made his way to the sink to wash up. "What do we have still? I know we can come up with someth—,"

A heavy knock interrupted them. With a slow turn, they both looked towards the door. Whispered, they spoke, "Did the magic for the house fade? Who could find us?"

"I don't know! Just get prepared! Can you use any magic?" Caster asked, preparing a spell as another heavy knock came.

"Maybe they aren't there?" A familiar voice to Caster said beyond the door.

 _It's…_

"I mean… either that or they are sleeping. I mean, his Servant is a little girl after all. It's probably way past her bedtime! HAHAHA!"

 _That damn spider!_

All at once, Caster blasted the door outward and lunged outward with a knife of rage and darkness, as she slid out the door, Lancer stood at the ready at the side of the door, her weapon very close to Caster's neck.

"Hey there you little demon!" Assassin said from above as she swung down to greet her. "How are you doing? Doesn't look like you've grown much."

Flustered and angry, Caster went about throwing insults and explanations to her assailant before Sophia stepped forward. "Excuse me… but…" she gave a bow, "We are not here to fight or quarrel with you… We are here to talk and… negotiate."

Caster's anger faded as Reinalt made his way out the door to the scene. He had heard everything as well. "Well then come inside and we can talk. It's not roomy for everyone, but I think we can manage… Right Caster?" He said with a nod, and a look of determination. They knew what they were here for. They had been feeling it too. The grail was growing, and this war was something that should be stopped… They had to act fast, and they had a major obstacle in the way in the form of the advisor of the war, as well as the servant now named Berzerker.

* * *

"We should split up?" Sophia said, doubting Rin's plan as she moved Ignus over to them to keep him safe. The boy looked as if hell had come for him, and yet left with everything else around him. No noise seemed to penetrate his mind, and his eyes had lost their light.

"We must if we are to finish this quickly. If we can get both of the two Master/Servant teams together with us by sunrise, we can make our way around to either the mansion where that advisor is, and figure out how to take her down, or we can form a plan to take down Berzerker and Al'ana." Rin said, brushing herself off a little before going over to check on Caster as well.

"It would be the best course of action, but I've hardly even seen what Annan and Rider can do aside from his water control magic, and Caster and Reinalt are a force unknown in power. Watching their fight gave me little to nothing in the ways of strategy for either of them. What if they want to fight us?" Sophia said as she sat Ignus down. "And what are we to do with him?"

"Saber… he's…" Ignus spoke suddenly, interrupting the two. "He's gone. He protected us…" His voice began to break.

"Why'd he have to… why'd he have to go?!"

The cries came soon after. A million words flew threw his mind but they were all inadequate to bring him back. He was more of a father than his true father was to him. He taught him how to properly use the magic he had, he taught him how to fight, silent cast and still cast spells, and ways to assist him in battle. But he also taught him many lessons about life. Courage, honor, bravery, emotions, dealing with loss, betrayal, hatred, and the big decisions that matter in life. He had talked to Ignus and answered all of his questions he could. He was a friend, and in the few weeks they had been together, he had quickly become the closest friend to him. But it was all ripped away in an instant. Ignus gripped the horn left to him by his servant in hand, and wiping his tears away, looked up to the two women before him. "Take me with you. I will help in any way I can. I want this war over, and I want to see my friend again."

* * *

Annan watched as the trio of figures came down the sewers. Once they were close enough, and he had the courage, he spoke to them.

"Who are you and how did you get here? I thought these sewers didn't have any entrances inside the city?" He spoke with a wavering tone.

"Your 'things' leave a scent that my servant can track. That and your traps are easy to spot for him. And yeah, there are far more entrances than you all know of." Rin said in a demanding tone. She had used these sewers to escape the city more times than she could count. She knew her way around them. "You are Annan right? I'm Rin. A pleasure to meet you. Now, with that out of the way… Could you and your Servant come with us?"

Ignus belted his spell as a dazzling display of lights came from his hand. As they made their way forward, before them was the Well, with the woman who was Annan's servant lazily swimming around inside of it. "Call her up. We have much to discuss." Rin said, before raising her own hand to him, to which Archer followed suit, notching an arrow and raising his bow, "and no funny business. As I said… we have much to discuss."


	17. Chapter 16

A snake. That's all she amounted to once she rose up from the well. A slithering beast of deceit and traitorous actions. Claimed that Annan was the one who pushed her down here, to hide in the sewers and to send her minions out to attack. He looked nothing of the sort to Rin and the others. A magical ring was set around her by Ignus who held his spell well, able to bind her in place without so much as letting her wiggle. The questions about what they had been doing were done, but now was the time for negotiations.

"With that out of the way, we need your help, in a sense." Rin said as she sat on a rock across from them, Archer close with his bow still drawn on them. "We need your assistance to take down that huge creature that Al'ana summoned. She's been turned into even more of a monster with the help of the King's advisor. We aim to halt her and her servant, and then take on the King's Advisor. Think you would want to help us?"

"That's suicide! That thing levels buildings faster than swift seas kill unwary sailors! You'd be crazy to go against him! And where's the other brute that that kid had with him? He was our best chance! If he's gone the—," Annan was halted by a swift kick to the side, from Ignus, who proceeded to continue to lay into him as much as he could.

"He is gone, and he fought bravely to protect his master. We still have much to do with the information we have. And that is why we need your help. We have a plan to kill that brute, and bring Al'ana to her knees. If you want to help, I'll tell you the plan, but if not… We'll be leaving you like this…" Rin replied, uncrossing and recrossing her legs as she spoke. The sight was somewhat terrifying. Annan knew of how refined and proper Lady Rin Tohsaka was, but this image before him was a brutally honest and to the point person. She seemed almost wholly engrossed in her goal. She wanted nothing more than to put this behind her. The war and wish were not important. The end to this was all she needed.

He felt a tug at something in his chest, as he looked over to Rider. He knew this would be the only time he could do this. This was his decision, and if she wanted him to be all those things he said, he would do it here and now. "Untie me. I'll do what I can. If things get dicey, we can always come here. Rider has a way of getting here fairly quickly."

A hate filled stare from his servant but an understanding smile from Rin came upon his answer, and he was set free. Rider followed… but was not sure of what was to happen to them in this plan of theirs. Slowly, they made their way back out of the sewers, heading back to the manor to meet with the other team, with Caster and Reinalt in tow.

* * *

The night crept on as the air withered to a gentle breeze. Rising out of the stone, the power that held him now fading, Berzerker gathered himself above the ground once more. His master closed in on him, looking at him with a satisfied grin. "Good. You are out of that trap they set for you. Come. We have worms to dispose of."

The huge man moved behind her in step, following her closely. It was all he could do. The overwhelming power that he had been given by the summoning process, and the rage that came with the wishes of his Master subsided only when she would speak and give him commands. His visions of blood, gore, battle, and anger only subsided around her. With her, he had a clear vision, he knew what to protect and what to follow. Since her meeting with that creature however…

Darkness surrounded his master in his vision. All he could see was a writhing black shadowy figure in the shape of his master. The anger and rage still held itself at bay, but it was slipping closer and closer to breaking. The smile from that person was gone, and all that was left was a cold stare of duty and orders. All in his mind, he could feel the darkness she held close to her take him, and control him more than the anger and rage. Slowly, it had taken hold, and now, it held more sway than her. She was his master still, but his true master was another. A higher power than her. They were both pawns to her. He could feel it. Al'ana could not.

As they made their way through the area of houses, Al'ana could feel something strange. "Berzerker. Destroy that house." She pointed to an abode on the corner of the street. It was abandoned, like many of the houses in this city now. Only a handful of people had the insanity to stay after the decree of the king, and most of them had gone into hiding. Al'ana wanted destruction and bloodshed before, but now, with her mission in mind, this destruction was for a purpose. Berzerker lifted his hand and sent it crashing into the building. With a deafening crack and the rumbling of stone and wood breaking, the house was demolished in seconds. Inside was nothing, just as she thought, and with a nod, they moved on. Down the street again, to a curve that Al'ana did not remember being, they walked and continued on. The road seemed to stretch farther and farther. It twisted into a path that Al'ana could not even understand. It was shorter and longer than it seemed at times. Meeting an intersection, she could see the fountain again, the destroyed house still there. "No…" She said to herself. She ran to the fountain, which took nearly five entire minutes simply to reach it, when the fountain was but a short walk of two from where they should have been. "No… No… No…" She looked around her, and it was as she had feared.

The glamor of a spell could be felt over her; she could feel a presence around her that was not the town itself. An illusion of a grand design and one that would have gone unnoticed in the battle… She was not stuck until it wore off, or…

"I will get us out of here. A spell that Master gave me will do. Prepare for battle Berzerker. We will have our fun soon."

* * *

"The illusion will last for an hour on that place," Sophia said, running alongside everyone as they made their way to the King's Estate from the Tohsaka house, "That should give us enough time to figure out just what this person is and destroy them."

"Is our plan all set?" Reinalt asked them all, looking around. Caster and Rider were on opposite sides of their Master's, staying far away from one another. Annan nodded as he looked over at Rider who was still far against something like this. "Yes. We know what to do."

"Alright, let's get there quickly, and get this over with. I'd rather not anymore lives be lost in this farce." Rin said leading the group. As they ran down the way to the Estate, the sun began to creep over the top of a hill to the east. The new day was dawning, on a team of Master's and servants that most wanted nothing more than to end this charade of a tournament of power. As they reached the fountain, a presence met them. Something that exuded a sense of power and malice. Something was watching them, and something wanted them dead. "Sophia," Rin said, turning to her, "Could your illusion be dispelled with enough power?"

All at once, a tear came open above the fountain, and with a mighty crash, Berzerker and Al'ana rocketed to the ground, kicking the water and stone from the fountain around. With the speed of a cat, Caster lept forward, and threw up a shield of energy, blocking the standing water that was in the fountain from her group. Once it subsided, all that could be seen before them was the sputtering pipe of water sprinkling its contents around the square, and the colossal beast of a man and his master waiting patiently as they let the water roll over them. "Good morning worms! I am prepared for your magics and attacks this time, and with Saber now killed, it will only be a matter of time before you all join him! Berzerker, prepare for battle. Kill the servants, and I will kill their masters!"

* * *

The minions sat still in the halls awaiting orders as the Shades made their way into the quarters of Leysritt. Disrobed and now creating new garments for what was to come, the Shades came forth and bowed deeply. "The Masters and Servants had arrived madam. Berzerker and Al'ana have met them after breaking out of the illusion set by one of the masters."

"And they broke the fountain did they not?" She replied, grabbing some shadows and placing them at her hips. They looped around her and spiraled down to her feet, creating a dress of sorts with a spiraled purple and black. With a small gust of wind from the balcony, the dress radiated out like tendrils around her, splaying outwards, showing her legs up to her upper thigh. "Yes madam, they did."

"The Caster put a putrid disease in the standing water there," she said plainly. "We may not have our little soldiers for much longer. If that is the case… you all may not need to fight for very long. With Berzerker's energy given to master, he can be reborn, and then our tasks complete."

More shadows came around her upper body, crafting a shirt of sorts that exposed her midriff, and left her forarms mostly visible. "Perfect. Now… all we must do is,"

"Prepare. Correct, and we have done just that." An unfamiliar voice came from the balcony. The voice was deep, dark, and male to be sure. The figure the light cut for him was nothing imposing, but the power he radiated was something immense. Fresh mana was radiating off of his form in the rising sunlight. "You have such confidence in your soldiers and yourself that you wouldn't guard the top floor balcony? My my… you must be preparing for something trivial."

"How did you… I should have felt you come here… why didn't I…" Leysritt grit her teeth and outstretched her arm, forming a ball of shadows. "Who the hell are you?"

"A concerned father looking after his daughter is all. They will destroy you. I am here to supervise and buy time… mostly." He turned to show his face. Tokiomi raised his hands up in a shrug. "You will know full well what they are capable of without me getting in your way, but your pets are in the way. Once they are done with them, I will let you go."

* * *

Lancer took to the legs of Berzerker and began to cut rapidly. Back and forth, she sliced the spear across his tendon and calf. She was cutting through layers and layers of skin, but only slightly causing any kind of pain to him. The dragon of water that Annan controlled was doing its best to hold the beast's strength at bay. The small group of Nakki grouped around Al'ana, and kept her on her toes as Rin shot spells and bolts from her crossbow. Assassin and Sophia were above on one of the buildings, casting spells and launching knives into Berzerker. Rider had made her way up to Berzerker's neck, and was tightening around it as best she could, and trying to sink her fangs into its skin to administer her poison. Reinalt was working on the other foot of Berzerker with Lancer, and Archer was preparing the spine of the wolfling in a makeshift bow to send through Berzerker. The others were merely buying time and hoping that the shot would do something to him. He was farther away than most, and hopefully unnoticed to the others. Steadying the bow was the hardest part, and aiming it was no easy feat either. He had time, but he felt like he needed more. While a master archer, he had never been a master of unconventional weapons. No one he knew was. Still, he had his part in the plan, and he was prepared to do all he could to take down this creature, and perhaps go back to his time to right what had gone so wrong.

"Ready here Rin." He said aloud, but knew she had already started pulling people back. Once the signal was given, he would fire and put a hole through Berzerker that would fell him in one blow.

All at once, a blast of energy came from the balcony of the King's Estate. Dark purple and black swirled around in a spiral of mana and power as it shot upwards into the sky. _"NOW ARCHER!"_ A voice in his mind said, as he let the spine go of the bow. As it rocketed towards it target, it began to cut through the wind in its way, and turn, like a drill towards its target. The aim was true, and the target unmoving. Once it hit, a crash of bone to bone resounded in the area as it bore through the right upper shoulder of Berzerker. It spun with such a speed that it began to burn and singe the flesh and muscle that it ripped through. It destroyed bone, blood and vessels, and tore through the upper portion of the lungs before it subsided and halted. Berzerker reached for the spine with its intact arm and pulled it out, sending a torrent of blood gushing from the maw of a hole in him. The other servants now left him to converge on Al'ana. With a single shot, Berzerker was taken out of commission. The magic combined with the sheer force of the attack caused all the hate, pain, and rage to subside, and the poison from the water and Rider slowed and nearly halted all his functions. He was simply bleeding out now, awaiting death.

Covered in wounds, and surrounded now, Al'ana looked like a rabid animal more than a person. "This is your end Al'ana," Rin said, "I would rather not kill a person in this war. Will you go quietly, or will you keep fighting?"

Caster was ready for a barrier and a full attack if she were to charge. She had been a support for the others throughout the fight before along with Ignus, but now… she was ready to take down this tyrant. Another blast came from above, shooting outward to the sky this time. "It seems…" Al'ana said, biting her lip, "That my master is fighting now. Whatever you all are… you cannot hope to beat her. She is far more powerful than you are."

"We'll see about that." Rin said, a grin on her face.

A wave of anger came through Al'ana. A rage that filled her to the brim with energy once more. The cuts were gone in her mind, and her body was ready to fight till the death. She slit her arm quickly, letting the blood drip down to the ground as the shadows coalesced around her. Caster let her spell fly, but it was deflected by the shadowy form below. "I will show you just how powerful master is! Master is by far the better of you all! Just you watch!" She spat blood to the ground, and the shadows scrambled for it. Soon, they moved over to Berzerker, and engulfed him in darkness. Soon, his form seemed to lurch, and rise up like a doll being picked up off of the floor. It stood up, and awaited any command. "Witness the power of my master and her shadows!" Al'ana said in a scream that she could hardly muster.

With a heavy motion, the shadowy giant raised its hand, and began sending it downward. Suddenly, the sound of a blade resonating off stone shot through the air; and Berzerker's form was halted. A stillness hung in the air but a moment, until it collapsed once more, the shadows now forming around something behind it. As the shadows disappeared, as did the true form of Berzerker. The same way as Saber, Berzerker disappeared into the air slowly. Al'ana fell to her knees, and looked to the form past where her Servant was. "Master… I hope… he was a sufficient sacrifice."

A bloody and beaten woman with strands of dark cloth around her stood with a halberd at her side. The shadows moved around her as if they were returning to an origin rather than a user. The blood seeped into her as the shadows gathered. Cuts disappeared and any blemishes dissipated. "The grail, is complete. It is a wonder that this little bit of mana could awaken my master to life once more." She said, looking to her servant. "Al'ana, you have done well. Come. Join me at my side." She said with an outstretched hand.

The others, to shocked at the scene to react, let her go as quickly as she could. Stumbling, tripping on debris, and eventually, making it to her side, Al'ana turned to see them all facing her. She had done well to last as long as she did, but now, she stood proudly by her master; the winner of this war. Soon, her wish would be granted, and she could spill as much blood of her own and others to satiate that bloodlust she had had for so long. She looked beside her to her master's beautiful eyes and face. "Have I done well master?" She said, blood dribbling down the side of her mouth.

Leysritt lifted her free hand to Al'ana's head, running her hand over the top and to the side. "You have Al'ana. Now…" With a swift movement, she took up the halberd, and drove it into her servant's chest. As the shock took hold, Al'ana seemed to go limp. Blood rushed from the wound as her body writhed on the ground after the halberd was taken out and she was laid down. The warmth seemed to leave her body as her skin, to the others, seemed to grow a colder color, and shrivel almost. "You may rest my servant. Greet all of your victims in the afterlife for me. I hope the torment they give you is a sufficient reward."

The others looked on at the woman now standing there, her halberd something that looked akin to a demonic weapon with its red and purple coloring. "Allow me to introduce myself once more everyone." She said, taking a bow. "I am Leysritt, the transporter of the grail you all have fought over, and the watcher for this war. You have all done well, but now it is the end. Master said I could have fun with you all as he awakens, so I shall do just that. I have already had my fun with the Father Tohsaka above, and he is waiting to meet his end as well. I am saving him for last however." She readied her weapon, its imposing point glinting in the sunlight that now shone brightly over everyone. "Prepare yourselves," She said, snapping her finger to activate a spell. The sun seemed to blacken, as the rising down now turned to a twisted night. Light still shown, but the landscape was now covered in decay and decomposing land. A place that could only be described as a place suffering for all. "For I will not go as easy on you as this worthless husk did." She finished as her spell finished, and she readied herself once more.


	18. Chapter 17

Everything they had just witnessed told them not to even try to attack this… creature. What she was couldn't be described as human. A wolf in sheep's clothing if anything. A monster more terrifying than any pit of hell or any creature thought up by man. She was calculating, powerful, and hard to simply look at. Her presence felt off, as if she shouldn't be. The servants could feel it, and waited for her to move, and the masters were trying to find something, anything to go on to somehow defeat such a terrifying foe. She lunged forward and met a collection of blades that blocked her. Archer had made his way with Assassin to block the attack with Caster's shield and Lancer's weapon holding as best it could. Rider slithered over behind them all, next to Caster and her master. "How strong was that attack just now?" She said, with a worried face.

Caster's breath fell heavy for a moment as sweat crept along her brow. "If one of us were to take that we would have been finished. Anyone can die from the power she had behind that lance." She readied herself again, and waited. Leysritt moved forward, again and again as she pushed everyone back, launching attack after attack. The Masters did what they could, but everyone was on their last legs it seemed. Ignus was out of breath and hardly able to stand. Blood ran out of his mouth as he continued his incantations as he cast, never ceasing. With each spell, it became weaker and weaker. His voice grew quieter and movements slower. He was out of energy. Reinalt seemed to radiate an aura of chill that felt sapping. He pushed on, but his skin was growing whiter with each passing moment. Annan had cut a small bit of his arm and was trying to pool what water was close by into some kind of creature, but it was little more than three foot long snake of dirty groundwater. He was desperate to help however. "I fight with them, and I won't run away. I hate it that this is… all I can do but… I have to help… I have to." He sent some more blood out, and the snake grew some, but not much. Hardship was hitting him worse than any pain or exhaustion. Rin and Sophia were the only two that seemed to still be able to function properly in any sense, and they were doing their best to hold off the attacks.

After they were pushed back enough for Leysritt, she stepped back and halted. "My my. You all seem to be on your last legs. What are you going to do? Just give up? I've seen that happen too many times already. Give me a show at the least!" She ran the halberd into the ground, and vaulted, and at the height of her jump, loosed the weapon and brought it down with a slam. The group scattered to avoid the damage, but was hit all the same with the blast. Leysritt stood next to her weapon in the crater she had made. "Master is almost done with his preparations. You can make your wishes to him then if you are still alive. He'll grant them if he sees fit." She let out a laugh before wrenching the weapon free and jumping out of the crater.

* * *

He could still move. That much was for certain. The illusion he put up just before that attack made it look like he was near death. His magic might be different from hers, but it was by no means inferior. He hobbled around the room as quickly as he could. He needed to find something; anything that could stop her or weaken her. There had to be something. Moving around the room slowly, he searched everywhere. In the corners of the room, he could feel something watching him, but it dare not come closer. It was afraid. It witnessed the power that lay in both its master and her opponent. If he could still walk and move well, it wanted nothing to do with him until it knew it could attack and win. Tokiomi had spells ready as he searched the bookshelf. If she had a spellbook, he could destroy it. If she had a bound object, he could disenchant it and render her nearly powerless. A phylactery, he could destroy…

Books. Rows and rows of books which looked more like a long list of history and lineage rather than of spells and cantrips. All the books were neatly arranged, except one atop a table. Blank of face and with a trim of gold on the pages, this book appeared special in some regard. As Tokiomi moved over to it, he could feel it. This was what he was looking for. As he unfolded the cover, he felt an indescribable power brimming from the pages itself. He ready what he could, only to see many events that he had experienced firsthand written down before him. His daughter summoning a servant for the war, his name, his ideals and wants for his wish, and his story. Tokiomi's own plan to resurrect his wife and live with her once more only to have it crashing down again. Even his own forced entry into the war was there, with a complete page of what master had died, and what new servant and master pairing were present.

"A simple recorder perhaps… but…" He said, as he flipped through more and more pages, skimming as the pages flew by. Events he had not been aware of flew by on the pages. A fight between Caster and Rider, Al'ana being taken by Leysritt, Ignus' resolute talk with Saber the night before his death… But finally he found it. The page was being written on, filling in the page in a way that looked like a story was being written. "Here. Here is where we can fix things. All I must do is…"

Then it hit him…

 _This power… could I… change this outcome and others? Could I… change more than just this war?_

He found a quill and inkwell close, and dipped it in, and thought for a moment. The best course of action would be to blot the pages perhaps… or write in something that could change the tide of battle… or perhaps he could write down that Leysritt never was, and that this war was never an event of any kind… or perhaps still…

The words kept advancing slowly. First, an experiment to make sure it could work. He took the quill to the bottom of the page, and began to write. "The servants now could use the power they were holding back for such a battle." With that done, the words caught up to it, took them in stride, and continued thereafter with…

'The fight raged between the servants, masters, and the servant to the Grail itself; Leysritt.'

* * *

The creature walked forward slowly as her combatants rose slowly to their feet. Bruised, battered, and some bleeding, the servants stood in front of their masters, ready for the onslaught that was to come.

"Please dears," Leysritt said, lifting the halberd to her shoulder and resting it, "If you all would at least move out of the way, I could end this much more quickly. Then, you all can go back to whatever depraved hole you call an afterlife so that I can summon my master here. You'll get your wish even! The masters won't, but you will! Whatever you want!" She said with a smile that held a form of hatred and a hint of insanity. "Just get out of the way so that I can end this!"

She dashed forward, and was blocked by Lancer and Archer. "Get out of my way!" She yelled as she brought the halberd down hard again. Archer and Lancer were flung to the back wall by Rin and the remaining Masters. Caster was up with a shield of energy again, as Reinalt was gathering the rocks around to try and form some kind of shield on his arms. "We're no match for this thing! There has to be something we haven't tried yet. I mean… I could…"

"NO Reinalt!" Caster said, still focusing on her spell. "You will not do that again. That is a last measure that we use if all is lost… If you… If you do that again… no one knows who or what could help us… It could be worse than this demon in front of us."

"Demon? Oh you are too kind. I've been called far worse the last few times we've done this." She said, cracking another smile as she heaved the weapon from the ground. "You all are the demons! Look at this place~!" She spread her arms out, asking them to take in the area. The land all around was covered in crumbling architecture, the plants that grew along the roads and in nearby gardens were shriveled and putrid now, and the sky, with the blood red sun going down, had a ghastly blood red glow that made the land seemed stained with blood. The wind rolled through and brought with it dead and crumbling leaves, the smell of fire, burnt flesh, and death. "This is the land you all want to protect!"

Annan stared blankly at the corrupt landscape and took it all in finally. This was not the land he remembered, but this was all that could come from a world of how it had been. Wars, famine, plagues, droughts, and everything in between. If they could not work together, how could they ever hope to… make the world better? This isn't what he wanted. He was a Clearwater, a man of the oceans and a man who wanted nothing more than to fish, sail, and see the seas as what they are; open and free. This world wasn't something he wanted. Red oceans of death and violent waves was all he could picture in the world, and he hated that. Welling up inside him was something he had only felt one other time. His family hadn't wanted him for most of his life, and his siblings treated him terribly, but once, just once, he felt he could bring retribution on them. Did he? No… fear took him before he could act… But now the fear was different. It was mixed with necessity, courage, and anger. His body shook as he tried to stand, and stumbled slightly; but Rider was next to him, slithering around him to catch him. As his arm met her hand, he felt the cold scaly hand latch onto him. It was something he had noticed many times, but it felt different. The cold reached inside him, and calmed him. He could feel the anger flow into something new. A vigor that would not rest, a drive to go on welled inside him. "I am right beside you master. While terrified just as you are, I will do all I can. I… I am sorry for deceiving you before…" She said, looking down to him.

He placed his hand on hers. The scales on top were burning. A fierce fire that would not cease. _Does she… feel the same? Does she want… to see the seas just as much as me?_

"I… have a request master," She said, averting her eyes. "Could we… swim in the ocean after this is over? I haven't stretched this tail in so long…"

A strange smile stretched across her face. _She wants more than that. Destruction is something she is fine with. However… this would is not her ideal either._ He smiled to her, and gripped her hand tightly. "We'll swim all you want, as long as you don't cause any trouble."

The smile opened a little, as a snake like tongue flicked out and back in. "Of course master! I will be causing some trouble here though, if you will allow?"

 _I trust her. I can trust the people here too… We… we can do this._ "I trust you. Show that… thing what we can do!"

Annan began casting small spells. Water spells. Everywhere he could. Rin and the others just watched as he continued and continued to throw balls, spouts, and torrents of water around the area. Soon, it was drenched, and the well that was empty now filled to the brim with a clear blue color. All the while, Leysritt attacked again and again against Archer and the others. Caster and most of the other Masters were providing supportive spells to them to keep them going, but their side was faltering.

"There! That should do it Rider!" Annan said, out of breath and mana. With a simple thumbs up, Rider changed to her human like form. "Hey you old hag!" She said, yelling to Leysritt. "Why don't you come over here and fight me? My fangs aren't out so I should be an easy enemy right?" Leysritt turned, and pointed the spear. "Well if you wish to die that badly then I will oblige you as much as I can!" The insane smile came back as she dashed towards her, weapon raised. Rider leapt backwards as it came down at her, and she made her way to the well. "Hey hey hey! You can't just run away!" Leysritt said in quick pursuit. The halberd looked like it weighed well over fifteen pounds, so it couldn't possibly be as easy to move as she was making it out to be. She struck and struck, but Rider was always just out of reach. With the thin layer of water around the area, Rider could dash and move as quickly as a fox or rabbit evading capture from a predator. "COME BACK HERE!" She screamed, slamming the head of the weapon down to Rider. The impact sent rocks upwards, knocking a few into Rider and making her lose her balance slightly. Right near the well now, Rider had been knocked to the ground, and in the air, Leysritt was coming down with a hard attack once more. "There is no escape now missy! Die for my master!"

With the impact of a comet hitting the ground, dust and rock flew from the attack. Once it settled, Leysritt was along, next to a pool of water from the now damaged well. "Where the hell did she go!? What's this trick!? YOU CAN'T ESCAPE ME!" She screamed, moving her hair from her face.

The ground shook below them, at first simply small tremors, but soon it was a true earthquake. Annan stumbled and moved over to the others. "Guys. Make a boat or fly! This is going to get nasty if we are in the water when she comes back!"

"What the hell are you talking about? What's going on?" Rin said, before grabbing a jewel from her pocket and readying it for what was to come. "What is she going to do."

"She told me a long time ago she had a trump card up her sleeve if anything were to get 'dicey'. I'm pretty sure this was it. She said she may not be able to control what was going on so… We need to get into something, or up in the air." He said, more composed during this than in any other interaction with others.

Caster lowered her shield, and moved her hands around in a circular motion. Soon, below them, a wooden structure began coming into being and making itself. "It'll be a few seconds, but it'll hold us all. That's all I can do for now." Assassin smiled behind her and grabbed her shoulders. "Don't you worry you little shadow, I have a backup plan if this little tub breaks okay?"

With grit teeth, Caster nodded, "Alright you shitty spider. You better not be toying with us."

"Toy? Why would I toy at a time like this? Jeez…" She puffed out her cheeks, and then it came. The ground gave way to a geyser, and they sunk into it, and buoyed out once more, riding the wave of water that was now flowing out of it. Leysritt had simply cast a spell to walk atop the water, and jumped over each wave. Soon, a clear blue ocean lay before them, with some structures still standing and rising out of the water. It was almost six feet deep, but all around them, there were deeper parts, and the water seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see. "What is this?" Most of the occupants of the small boat asked all at once.

A rumble was felt below the ocean, and beside them, fairly far off, a creature breached the water, and came back down into it, it rose and fell many more times before they could truly see what it was. It looked like a serpent of some kind, a dragon of the seas. It was nearly pitch black, with a gargantuan maw with rows upon rows of teeth. Atop its head, and all down its back, barbed horns stood upwards and dripped with venom that sizzled atop the water. It let out a cry as it rose in front of Leysritt, and halted. It spoke. It was Rider, no doubt.

In a warped female voice, sounding drowned, angry, and violent to no end, she spoke. "THIS is my true form demon! A dragon of the seas and the ender of those who's voyage comes to my domain. I am Iku-Turso and you shall die here in my ocean; in this watery abyss!" With that she rose, out of the water, and came crashing down on Leysritt, mouth agape. The size different was enormous. Leysritt and the others were but perhaps the side of one barb atop the creatures back. There was no way that she could escape. As the water settled, and small tremors could be felt below, they could only guess at what was happening.

"Leysritt must be fighting back," Sophia said, breaking the momentary silence. The others nodded, but couldn't really believe it. With the creature that was now Rider being as strong as she was, what kind of defense could Leysritt put up that could match or defeat her? What kind of power was this person capable of?

"She did say she had much more power than us. That we were just delaying the inevitable." Ignus said, moving his staff around his feet. It felt strange, letting their comrade fight below while they rested above. "She must be giving it her all down there. And without help from us…"

"She is pretty strong. In this form anyway." Annan said with a small laugh. "I can kind of feel her still down there… and she is… she truly is doing all she can to stop her."

The others looked to Annan to watch his expressions for a moment. He winced with some tremors and his eyes dilated at random times. They all knew what was truly going on. Rider was buying them all time. She was losing and hardly chipping at Leysritt. She truly was as powerful as she said. With the silence draped over them once more, Rin spoke quietly the question that she wanted answered. "What is this place? This is nothing like the area we were in before."

Caster stood up, and began to address her question, but was interrupted by Assassin, who was lying flat on her back, hands behind her head. "It's called a Reality Marble. It's a way for someone to make a place, and capture others in it. The people have to play by the creator's rules. That's what you were going to say right Caster?" She said as she leaned up with a grin. Caster exhaled sharply, and went back to looking around at the nearly flat water, "More or less."

The tremors grew quieter and quieter until they were hardly felt by the occupants. "Annan… what's going on down there? Is… everything alright?" Rin asked as she looked around, but one look at him gave an answer to a degree. He looked fatigued and out of breath. With each passing wave, he took in a deep breath to try and calm himself down, but to no avail. His sweat was dripping off of his hair and face. "I… I just hope… She's alright…"

* * *

"Kill… Kill…"

That was all she could think about. Destroy this tiny pest that had caused her so much trouble and irritating pain. Summoned for a war between spirits of legend? Idiotic. She had to assume the form of a lowly human! What a disgusting idea. The water was where she belonged, not slithering around or walking across the fiery stones of the city at midday. She had drowned cities like that one simply because it was in the way of her path while she drifted through the oceans. Why was she only trying to fight a simple human now to defend such a place? Or for that matter, defend a human who summoned her and called her Servant!?

He never truly called her a servant. He had said, 'you are my servant,' before… but it was more for his own mind than to call her or bind her. She never felt any ill intent from him, nor malice or hate. For a creature like her. Stupid. She had so much power, and now she was defending him… everyone…

The fighting was hard. For being such an insignificant creature to Iku-Turso, the miniscule Leysritt had strength akin to her own, or perhaps more powerful than her. With each strike from her weapon, Rider felt energy escape her. Her movements felt slower, and her body felt heavier. _What is this? What is this woman doing to me?_ On and on they fought. Rider landed blows, but nothing seemed to phase her in the slightest. On and on, deeper and deeper they swam, until… with a final strike…

The water began to recede, or disappear almost. It moved downward to meet the land, now damp because of the water. And by the broken fountain, on a spear of red, stained with the blood of someone, Rider in her snake-like and scaly form was skewered through her abdomen and tail. She still breathed, and she was still alive, but barely.

"My what a fight your little fish put up!" Leysritt said, wringing out her hair and readjusting her outfit that was now a deep purple soaked with water. "She tried to drown me. I don't even breathe! Idiotic fish. You would think that once she tried to eat me, she would stop or retreat after I fought back."

Annan couldn't hear her. His breathing was too loud and his heart was pounding in his ears. The others didn't stop him, but Ignus seemed to hold a kind of resolve in him as he watched what Annan did that seemed like he was concentrating on him, making sure nothing strange happened. He moved swiftly for all his heavy breathing, and he stumbled up to his servant who was slowly sliding downward to the ground, now passed the larger part of the spear. "Rider… you… How…?"

"I suppose… I was not strong enough." She smiled. "I thought I could win in my element… She is… much stronger than we thought…"

"Can you… Recover from this?" He said, now sitting beside her on his knees. He had started to cry, but didn't notice as they dripped down to hit her skin.

"I can't move Annan. She… is sapping my strength or something. I… I don't think…" She stammered, trying to raise herself up but fell back down once more.

"Rest… please… save your strength. We'll be able to cure you! This is nothing. We can get you… We can…" He searched for words that would help him and her both, but he couldn't find any. He sat there and watched her. Her eyes looked up at him, their long middle slit hardly moved, and the yellow color beginning to fade. "Thank you for always being so kind Annan. This serpent knew nothing of you humans, but I have learned a lot from you. Fear, pain, love, kindness, and courage… I will never forget them. I promise…" She lifted her hand up to his face, and with a gentle touch, Annan felt the chill of her touch. He held her cold scaly hand, and then gently put it back down onto her chest. Footsteps made their way over slowly to him, but he did not look around to see who it could be.

"What a heartfelt meeting!" Leysritt exclaimed as she retrieved the weapon from Rider's body, "This old snake didn't give me much mana back, but Master will surely love what she is going to give him! What's wrong little boy? Do you miss your pet snake that much!?" That same sadistic grin grew across her face quickly. She raised the point of the halberd to Annan, and reared back. "You can join her! I don't mind at all!"

The blade pierced flesh, but more than one body. With her last breath of life, Rider rose up in the blink of an eye, and tried to block the halberd. It went straight through her and Annan together. There was no sound except for the slow piercing of flesh. They had been slain, and now they lay together as a lump of two bodies as Rider's slowly began to disappear to the sky.

Wasting no time, Leysritt turned to the others and began walking towards them once more. "Next please! Time's wasting away here! This world of yours is going to be gone soon if you don't stop me!" She let out a laugh before speeding up her advance. With little time to react to what they just saw, Rin fired off a quick succession of spells of varying elements. Each one Leysritt merely moved aside with her free hand, and shot them in a different direction. Lancer and Archer dashed forward as Reinalt brought up the rear as Sophia and Assassin made their way around to the back of her to attack. Rin and Caster stayed back, sending off wave after wave of spells. Ignus took care of any supportive spells for the closer combatants, slinging spell after spell to protect the people around him. With each strike that landed, four of Leysritt's own hit. Each hit to them drew their strength from their bodies. They felt heavier, as if more energy was being needed for the tasks they wanted. "It's pointless you know? All this energy you are using, it's quickly going away and being used for better things," She said, before shoving Lancer away and hitting Sophia and Assassin with the rod of her halberd. "You all have nothing left. You all were, and still are, on your last legs!" A strike landed on her as Lancer dashed into her stomach. The blade sunk deep as Lancer ran ahead, pushing Leysritt off of her weapon. "They will be fine soon. Your enemy is me now Leysritt!" She said, before turning to them. "You all stay back, enjoy yourselves while I squash this bug in your stead."

"What are you talking about!? We are all fighting with…" But soon, a wall of white fog erupted from around them, and concealed Leysritt and Lancer from view. Archer moved to Rin for protection, but once the fog began to fade, he relaxed, and stood up, his head low. "Lancer… she…" He let out a sigh. "She's protecting us well. Just like Rider, she can create a Reality Marble like Assassin explained."

"What? What do you mean Archer?" Rin asked. As she did, he moved out from in front of her for her to see what was ahead. A table stretched for the length of the room, littered with food of all kinds. Down a set of carpeted stairs, sat a table of the Masters and the servants that were still alive and left. "This is her ability?" Rin said, confused and bewildered by the gigantic place that they were in.

"Welcome," Said a strange voice. Beside them, a maid of sorts stood in a bow. As she rose, her beauty was that of any goddess. What person would waste such a woman being stuck as a lowly servant was anyone's guess, but a look around the room saw many others like herself, male and female alike. They all bowed as Rin and Archer made their way down the steps. As they sat in their seats, Rin next to Sophia and Archer next to Caster, the servants surrounded them. The same made that Rin and Archer met, spoke up in their view at the head of the table. "Again, welcome, all Masters and Servants. We are a part of this palace of hospitality, given to you all by Radegast, or Lancer as you all know her. We invite you to partake and rest. This place shall be gone in four hours. The time elapsed outside of this marble will not be as long however. A mere five minutes at most will have past. I understand you are in dire situations outside of here. Our master is doing all she can to ensure you are in your best shape for disposing of the threat before you." She took pause, and shook her head. "I apologize. You all know your predicament. There is no reason to say more. Eat, and be merry. This is the wish of our Master. Once finished, rest. We will awaken you if you sleep, ten minutes before you are to leave. May the feast," She rose, and clapped her hands, "Begin!"

* * *

Outside, the battle had yet to begin. With the fog encircling Leysritt, she stuck her weapon into the ground, and rested on it. "Could you please not do this? This is getting very annoying. I am tired of playing with you all and just want this over. Once you are all dead, or just given up, I can awaken my Master and then this world will end. Wouldn't that be better than all this suffering you guys are going through?"

Just as she finished, she felt the force of wind fly past her. An object or something flew by her with a speed that was impossible to see with the eyes. She felt something roll down her cheek. With a swipe of her hand, she felt it. A cut and the soft red liquid upon her finger was the blood flowing from it. She turned to see Lancer who was now behind her, spear in hand, and armor and helmet equipped. "I will not allow you the pleasure," She said, "Of destroying this new life I have. You shall die here, along with your master. Either by my hands, or my friends. They will be far more for you to handle once they are finished with what I have planned for them."

"Is that so?" Leysritt said, retrieving her weapon. "Well then let's have a good little beating alright? I hope you and that flimsy little body are prepared for the anguish they are about to go through!" She leapt towards her and crashed her spear deep into the ground. The area was covered in fog and alight with huge bonfires as the blood red moon hung high over a deep and dark night sky; their battle raged on and on, as time seemed to float by gently for the other Masters and Servants.


	19. Chapter 18

Plate after plate, the food never ended. They ate and ate as quickly as possible, the energy filling them up to the brim of their bodies. Everything about it seemed wrong, but they couldn't stop. The maids and butlers asked them to partake until they felt full, and with how they acted, they would not accept, 'I'm not that hungry' as an answer. Archer sat with a few rolls of cabbage stuffed with various meats and veggies and ate them as Rin gulped down a bowl of stew. The others were eating their fill as well before they were finished. Everyone was stuffed, but the waiters did not stop. They came with more food, and presented it.

"If you are finished for now, we will begin the rest of our activities. Eat when you can and practice or rest. Only a few minutes here has past." One of the maids said, as she showed the group to the training rooms and the rest areas. A huge room was ahead of them, with floating targets, dummies, and ghostly apparitions of humans of differing body sizes, each wielding different weapons. "This area you can use to train. But, I believe most of you wish to see the other room more so than this. Please follow me." She said, leading them to the rest areas. Each room had a different colored door. There was a ruby red stained wooden door for Archer and Rin, A black-ebony door for Reinalt and Caster, A white stained wood door for Ignus, and a purple stained door for Sophia and Assassin. The maid bowed and held an open hand out to the doors. "These are the rooms. Rest as long as you wish. In two and a half hours, this space will begin to disappear. Then, you shall all go back and meet with Master yet again. Be prepared once the time comes. It seems… the battle is getting quite heavy." She bowed again, and walked back to the main area. The groups moved in front of their doors, and stepped through. Their emotions were running wild, but… if they could get some rest, it might be the deciding factor in the fights ahead.

Once the doors shut a wave of comfort permeated through them all. They crumpled to the feeling and moved to the beds that were available to them, and seemed to sleep for ages in their minds. Time would pass, but it moved so slowly that upon waking, they felt like new beings. The aches and pains of battle and hardship were gone, and their bodies felt new and perfect. Some came to the conclusion that it was magic of some kind, or the food did something to them… but nothing could be ascertained. Sleep was all it was. Sleep in a place that was safe. Truly safe.

After the thirty minute rest, the groups began searching their rooms, and found far more than they were bargaining for.

* * *

Each meeting of the two ended in a draw. A clash of blades or a swift jab from the ends of their polearms meeting one another went on and on. As time continued to move forward the two never relented. Again and again and again. A weapon crashed down into the dirt, filling the air with huge pieces of rock, old masonry, and dying plant matter. With a swift hit, Lancer hit piece after piece towards Leysritt, who crushed them with attacks or sent them flying in different directions as she swung her weapon in dance that seemed almost choreographed. A swing of her leg offset the weight of the weapon a moment, dodging a rock aimed straight at her head, and knocking another way and upwards to the sky. Lancer was the same in her defenses, but more headstrong, with each swift hit of her spear, she knocked the debris back to Leysritt, and made her way slowly forward to her target. Soon, they were locked in a standoff of clashing metal.

"You are as powerful as I have heard! A woman of hospitality and pain," Leysritt said, somewhat mockingly. "A warrior god who reigns over the house, bestowing guests with the utmost in pleasure and filling their needs no matter what, and then going to battle with ruthless efficiency. You wash lands with war and fill the night sky with fire and pain. You are both sides of a coin depicting utter happiness and hatred." She grinned wildly. "Just the woman I wanted to fight! You know just what I have been through!" She shoved Lancer off, into a nearby wall and got her pinned by the neck and arms with her halberd. Gasping, Leysritt merely added the pressure she was pushing onto Lancer. "This is the hundredth time Master and I have gone through time… to find a suitable vessel and suitable place for him to manifest. Each time, something, someone, they would do something… idiotic. Kill themselves, send their mana to the earth, or just not participate in the war altogether!" She shoved into Lancer, breaking the wall behind her and continued. "With each failure, it added and added. The stress, the torture, the torment. I haven't seen master in ages!" She moved over to Lancer who was getting up slowly, breathing heavily from the attack that just took place. She raised her Halberd above her, and brought it down hard.

"Die so Master may live!"

Lancer turned over quickly, running the pole of her spear down that of Leysritt's, slicing deep into her arm and leaving a gash dripping with blood as she got behind her. With a quick move, she lifted the spear and thrust it into the earth, and stepped back. "I hope you burn Leysritt," Lancer said, before fire flickered around her spear, and encircled her opponent. The flames thrust upwards, and radiated outwards, wavering and slapping at the surroundings it could reach. A tower of fire blazed as a scream unknown to human ears rang out inside it. As the column of fire roared, Lancer leaned on a wall, and waited, with her helmet in her hand, ready for another attack from her enemy, and a horn, given to her by Ignus.

"We may not know each other Heimdallr…" She said, letting her breathing slow and calm, "But your master is… quite an intelligent boy. I'm glad he's with us…"

* * *

Ignus let out a sneeze before looking around his room. _What was that? Did I… fall asleep?_ He thought. Getting out of the bed, he surveyed his surroundings. A bookshelf stocked with some books, a writing desk with a quill and parchment, a myriad of items of various wealth or mysterious origins, and a door to a bathroom that looked nearly as big as the room he was in. It was strange to say the least, and it felt even stranger that he was in it alone. Everyone else had a servant to occupy them. _Saber…_

He had been the father Ignus never had. He taught him. In the month leading up to the war he had taught him a great deal. How to hold and use a weapon, how to fine tune his magic so it was useable, how to think like a tactician and on your feet when plans go awry; and how to laugh, have fun, and tell the best jokes, even if no one got them immediately. His real father would never go to such lengths. His brothers got his teachings down on the first try… why should Ignus need more guidance? Day in and day out before this war…

"You're no son of mine." His father would say, "All of my sons could wield a sword by now. But instead you have that book. That measly little tome that you say can wield greater power than even a commander of an army. Look where it has gotten you. A squire of ill-birth can take you in a match of swords nine times in ten, and the last was lost due to poor health or luck. Each lesson," He would stalk closer to Ignus as he held his pointed finger in his face, "Every day, every hour… that book is with you instead of a sword and shield in your hands. You, are no son of mine."

It hurt. It always did. He wanted to impress his father to the utmost. He only cared about war and his image. He never truly did anything with him or his brothers but train. After his verbal beatings and his so called practice with the sword, he would scurry back to his quarters, tell the servants of the castle he would eat in his room, and study. He would not stop until he found what he was looking for. A spell that would show his father how powerful magic could be. A spell that would truly give him evidence of why his studies were not futile. By the candlelight he read on. Page after page of knowledge he consumed. He found summoning spells and rituals, incantations for changing gravity of a given area or space, a way to move water without a bucket or cart, sending fire from his fingers…

He shook his head quickly. He found himself with a book in his hand, and was rifling through the pages; searching for something, anything he could use… To be useful. He was doing some during the fights… but he thought he could do more. But what was the point? He's just one person… If Saber were here… _If Saber were here…_

"What would he do?" A voice unfamiliar to him said. He had heard it before. Older, female, soft and kind, but playful as well. He turned to look at where he thought it was, and there she was. "Assassin?"

She stood in the doorway of his room, arms crossed and smiling. "Yo. Sophia fell asleep as soon as we got in. Literally fell onto the bed and started snoring. I can't really sleep… So what are you up to? What were you looking for?"

"What do you mean? Did I…"

"You said, 'if Saber were here,'" She said in an imitating voice before walking in and sitting in the chair, "What would he do? What would he say? I never really got to see or talk to him much."

Ignus thought as he looked around the room, trying not to focus too much on the beautiful lady before him. She had some scrapes and cuts, but she was the embodiment of the word to be certain. "Well… Usually, whenever I'd start… thinking too much… He'd… Sit and watch me." He finally said, looking her in the eyes, and noticing the other eyes on her forehead open slightly.

"And?"

"And… well…" He could remember the last time it happened. Just like it always did, his brain was racing faster than he could keep up with. Three books open on his large desk, wand in hand, and mouth flying through incantations. Saber watched him until he bit his tongue, dropped his wand, or ripped a small part of the book. It broke his concentration, and allowed Saber a moment to get him back on the right track. "Hold on a second Ignus. Why don't you step back and see what you are doing for a moment?" He would said, holding his hand out as he spoke to his young master.

"What do you mean Saber? I need to learn all this stuff as quick as I can."

"And that's why you need to take it slow. Nothing will come from learning in the way that you are. While quick, you don't retain it. You speed through and make hasty decisions. You have to think about things like this to make sure they are right so they perform correctly. It's the same thing with tactics. Would you rush into a war with your entire force just pushing into the enemy? Or would you take your time to plan and think about where to put units and find the best ground for them to fight on?" He said as he scooted closer, now looking over Ignus' shoulder to the books on the desk. He flipped back a few pages to where the spell started, and read it himself. With a point, he moved his finger over a string of words, " _In manu tua_ ," He said, before reading on. "You seemed to have missed this part of the spell, which made it unable to use your mana for the spell. It would have fizzled out in a second. The motion of your hand, or wand…" He looked closer, "According to this, should have been just at eye level, delivering a motion downward to the ground, and then to the left and right, flicking forward once you reached a right angle with your arm. I believe you merely moved your arm at the top and then flourished with the flick and point." He gave Ignus a big smile. "That's not to say what you are doing isn't complicated. Give it your best this time, and we will see how it goes." He went back to his seat behind him and left Ignus to his spell.

"He would let me do… what I do… and then he would help, and show me how to improve." He said. She had scooted closer in her chair and now almost met Ignus with her gaze. He continued, more focused on the conversation. "He could learn things so fast, and then teach me in a better way than I could hope to learn. He was more of a father than mine ever was. He laughed with me, experienced things with me…" Tears came slowly, and fell as the words kept coming, "Assassin… why'd he have to… have to die?" He sniffed a few times. "If I had been stronger, or if someone could have helped in time… That thing wouldn't have… he might still be…"

He burst into tears soon after that, all the memories coming back at once. Assassin got out of her chair and came over to him; embracing him tightly. He'd never felt anything so… calming and comforting. The tears rolled down as he cried out. "WHY!? Why'd he have to die!? I had so much to talk to him about! I… I just wanted him to stay forever! WHY DID HE HAVE TO LEAVE ME!? I'm not as strong, fearless, gifted, or anything like him or my father… Why… Just why!?" The words kept coming in between sobs. He cried and cried, yelling anything that came to his mind. All the while, Assassin held him close, and ran her fingers through is hair, humming as she did. A soft and soothing melody that Ignus couldn't ignore. It was somehow familiar; even though he was sure he had never heard it before now. The high notes carried a soft sound which he could hear at the top of his head, and the low notes reverberated in him as he hear was pressed against Assassin's chest. He could feel the warm and soft song wash over him as he cried. His sobs turned into sniffles with time, and he rose up off of Assassin as he grip on him loosened a little. "I'm sorry you… had to deal with me like this Assassin. I'm just so weak…"

She let out a little giggle. "Everyone has times of weakness. That's why we rely on others in those times. Sometimes you can't do things alone, and you need help. That's alright. Friends help friends, and allies assist allies. Saber was a very strong ally, and he has helped you. While you may not think so, I bet he would say you've come a long way from the first time you two met right?" She gave him a soft smile. "I didn't know you then, but the way you composed yourself since his death… you are far stronger than you think you are. Keep it up Ignus."

With that, she let him go and stood up from her chair. "I think I'm going to head out into the training area. I need to stretch my legs before we head back out. We'll get through this Ignus. Don't you worry." She showed herself out after waving to him from the door, and left him alone once more. Ages felt like they had passed, but Ignus felt like he had taken a dive through his own mind and realized just what Assassin had said. He had come far, and his actions weren't for nothing. There was still a lot he could do, and he was going to do what he could no matter what. "Lancer," He said softly, "I hope the horn is helping you more than me…"

* * *

She tipped the horn back, and from it, a sweet tasting liquid came from it. Her body felt as if it were rejuvenated. Weakness and exhaustion escaped her, and her body felt as if it were on fire as her blood boiled in front of the column of fire. As it died down, she put horn away, and readied herself again. In the charred circle, Leysritt stood now, her skin charred black and some of her musculature and bone exposed. No mortal could ever withstand such an attack and live, but what Lancer was up against was not mortal in the slightest. A set of black eyes with a white center stared back at Lancer, before shaking the burnt skin off and seeming to regrow more at an alarming rate. "What a cute little fire you had there. I've been frozen, drowned, poisoned, buried, strangled, even bludgeoned relentlessly. No one ever thought to try and burn me!" her voice was a hoarse and crackling wave of a scream of pain and ecstasy. "It seems you've gotten to rest a bit! I hope that was enough for you! Now the true fight begins!" With her same voice and laughter, she turned the spear around, and sent the end into her stomach a ways, letting bright red blood with blackened chunks fall to the ground. As the blood pooled around her, it began to move in waves; like a small ocean or pond, waves rose and fell and washed to the edge, and pulled back. Lancer was cautious as she moved in, but what she met was not something she was prepared for. The enemy stood still in the middle of the pond of blood and black ichor as she seemed to regenerate her flesh, but Lancer was still stopped by something at the edge of the blood. An arm larger than her entire body sprang from the pool, and swiped at her, missing as she jumped back just in time. "Oh! Did I forget to mention? Those servants and masters that offered themselves to me, or fell by my hands…" She said, as another arm, much smaller this time, and another arm, and a large serpent like tail shot up through the blood, "They belong to me now, and I will use them as I see fit!"

The deceased Berzerker, pulling himself out of the blood with his one arm and a fourth of his body gone, stood before her, as well as his master, Annan Clearwater, and his servant rose through slowly as well. Lancer now faced an impossible foe, and now was met with more than one enemy to face. She needed help, somehow… Maybe the horn could…

 _I can… blow into it too right?_

With a mighty breath and a quick motion, she brought the horn to her mouth and blew hard. The sky shook with the sound, and the clouds dissipated, allowing the dark sky to be seen above. With a burst of light, weapons crashed before her. A sword, a battle axe, a set of daggers around in a circle of their own, and a rod with an intricate ornament at the top sank into the ground a ways. A loud noise and a piercing light came from the sky, and descended four shining beings. Once the light dissipated and their feet touched the earth, before Lancer stood Saber once more, shining brightly with a light radiating off of him. To his right, retrieving the daggers, a small girl kneeled and was putting her weapons into sheaths, as the rod beside her is retrieved by another woman. Her figure is filled out by her clothes well, and her pure white skin, blonde hair, and deep reddish brown eyes contrasted well against the harsh background around them. On the other side of Saber, stood a huge man with the Axe on his shoulder. He scoffed slightly at the creatures before him with their reddish tints and human forms. With a gruff and harsh voice, he pointed to them. The scars that adorned his body seemed to tell more stories than his meager words let on. "We hurtin' them?" He said to Saber. And with a nod and smile, Saber said, "Sure enough. That's them." He turned around to see Lancer, horn still in hand, wide eyed at what she had seen.

"Lancer was it? I sense no ill intent from you, and Ignus must have trusted you with that. Thank you. I hope he is alright. Now, if you'll excuse me, we will be fighting these vermin for you while you take out that, creature… good luck, and may we be victorious!" He said with another smile and raised his sword above his head. "Ran, Hoor, Eir! Let us rid this world of these creatures, and go back to the heavens!"

"Gods stop shouting. Please." Ran said, rolling her head around, popping her neck. "You're acting like this is some day at the beach or something. This feels like… Ragnar—," With a quick hit with the rod, Eir huffed. "Don't you dare say that word! That's not this! Promise! Now, let's get to disposing of these disgusting things!"

Before her, stood gods of which she knew little of. But, the most important thing to Lancer at the moment was, they were on her side. Spear in hand, she moved up with them, and stood at the ready for the battle to commence.


	20. Chapter 19

Caster paced the room while Reinalt rolled on the bed relentlessly, feeling the soft fabric push back as he went. "Caster seriously. Calm down. We need to rest if we are going to be fighting that… thing…" Caster paid him no mind. She was too focused on what she was thinking. So many things were going through her head. There was so much to think on. What was their strategy for when they got out? Would Lancer truly be able to beat that creature? If not, what did everyone have up their sleeves? _We hardly even know each other's capabilities let alone the enemy's. What can we do to help the others? What can they do to help us? There must be something here we can use._ She moved to the bookshelf in the room, and rummaged through it, trying to find something, anything that could aid them. History of Lancer's past, cookbooks, guides to mountain travel. The books were almost useless to them.

"Caster…" She could hear Reinalt voice, but she didn't need his distraction right now. She had to do something. They did not have long before they would be back and needing to fight. _If we could use that… woman again… or any of the other ones that are a part of the Sonnimne, we may have the advantage of surprise on our hands. But that takes a lot out of me and Reinalt alike, and I have no idea what the others could be in there… some I've never even seen… I guess we could call Great Star… Or Yeomra… but…_

"Caster…?" She could hardly hear him now, she was so deep in her own thoughts. She paced the floor more, and moved towards the door. Once her hand touched the doorknob, so did Reinalt's. It shocked her, but knocked her out of her deep thoughts. "Caster. Listen. You need to calm down." His voice finally reached her. She stumbled back a little and looked up to him. His eyes seemed worried and just as anxious as she felt. "Reinalt… I… I just feel like… Do you think we can win? Do you think we should… talk with the others about this fight?"

"Yes we should," He said immediately, but followed up with more worry. "But you need rest. More so than me. You've been pushing yourself since we started fighting that thing. Go bathe and relax. You need rest."

 _What do you know? How do you know I'm tired? I don't feel tired. I feel fine._ Her anger started to flare as she grit her teeth behind her lips. Her eyes felt heavy, and her temper was not cooling off. _Dammit we have to do something._ She opened her mouth to say something, but Reinalt embraced her as she started speaking. The words caught in her chest as she felt his warm body against hers. She couldn't do anything. Her arms felt heavy, as did her whole body. All she could do was wrap her arms around him as he squeezed tightly around her. "Please… just rest Caster. I don't want to lose you. Ignus lost Saber, and Annan lost Rider. I don't want to lose you."

The words were heavy, but once she heard them, she felt lighter. _That's what it was. I was… scared… I don't want to leave you either Reinalt. You've shown me a world worth saving, and a person I want to know more about._ She tried to speak the words, but she couldn't. Her body felt limp in his arms. She truly was exhausted. With a sweep, Reinalt picked her up, and laid her in the bed. "Rest Caster. You need it."

* * *

The screams from the blood red opponents as they fell sounded like the wails of damned souls. As soon as they melted away from Saber and his comrades attacks, another would come up through the boiling blood, ready to fight. Lancer dashed through them as best she could to fight Leysritt, but even in her damaged state, she had enough speed to dodge the attacks one by one. Burnt flesh fell from her body as she moved, being replaced by white and flawless skin. "Surely you don't think you can win this," Leysritt said, once she gained some distance from Saber and the others. "Look around you. While you might have called your friend back from his homeland, they are fighting copies of servants and masters. They have the same power they had when they were still alive… and I control them. I have far more power than you and yours. Give up, and allow Master to consume you." She dashed forward, and tried to sink her halberd into Lancer. Her speed was quick, but Lancer was just as fast, dodging to the side and sweeping her spear under Leysritt. She jumped high, and rode her halberd down to Lancer. With another switch dodge, Lancer rolled sideways and stood up, ready for the next attack. "Listen to yourself. You are already out of breath."

It was true. Lancer was panting, trying to catch her breath. _What was going on? She just drank from the horn and felt… revived. How could her strength be gone so quickly? Is it her? Is she doing something to her?_

"Bingo." Leysritt said, before dashing forward once more. Lancer held up her spear to block the attack, and was met with a force she could not hold. It sent her to her knees as she slid back. "Ah good it's taking effect." Lancer struggled to her feet, and readied herself once more. "What the hell did you do to me?" She asked.

Leysritt began walking forward now instead of her usual dashing. "While I do fight with this spear, I do still have magic I can use. It's a simple poisoning spell. I had to just leave a little cut on you before it took any effect. That might have been the toughest part. When that fire enveloped me, right before that, when you struck my arm… A little cut was all I needed, and I gave it to you there. Just a small one on your arm... That poison isn't anything special; it just makes everything a little harder to do. Breathing, seeing, lifting things. It's simple," She said, as she arrived right before Lancer, still holding her position, but faltering and straining under the weight of her own body and armor. "but it's so effective and nice to see you, a warrior of your time, so broken and unable to do anything." She raised her halberd slowly and brought it down with enough speed and power to crack the earth.

The building was still intact for the most part throughout the fighting. Tokiomi had witnessed the power of the servants and this unimaginable force that they were against battle it out back and forth. All he could really do was watch as he took care of his wounds; watch and look to the book for more descriptions and the occasional sentence to steer things here and there. The last sentence he wrote, "Lancer recovers from the poison administered to her by Leysritt." Was written much farther down the page than what he liked. The words came across the page quickly as the actions unfolded before him. The weapon came down hard, but Lancer moved at the last second. She was safe; hurt but safe. The revived Saber and his comrades were fighting away the blood summoned beings as soon as they came up and attacked, but they were losing power. They could only go for so long. They each had taken some considerable damage from their enemies, and none of Eir's healing had any lasting effect. With a heavy hit from snake-like Rider, Ran was launched into Eir, and the watery bolts from Rider's dead master launched their way to the two of them. Hoor dashed over to them, hitting them away with his axe. "Get up! You ain't dyin' here!" Eir came quickly and lifted Ran up while Hoor defended them from the onslaught of attacks. A quick healing spell, and Ran was back up to some of her fighting strength. "There's no end to them! Saber! What the hell is this!?" Ran said, screaming at him. He was taking hits from Berzerker and Al'ana's bloody forms over and over, and holding his ground with them. "They must be from that woman and this blood! Once the blood or she is gone, they'll be gone!" He yelled between attacks and moves against his opponents. With a swift slash of his sword, Saber cut through both Berzerker and Al'ana, letting their bloody forms dissipate back down to the ground. He went over to join the others quickly.

Tokiomi couldn't say he was prepared for this, but he did still have a few tricks up his sleeve. With the book in his hand, he began to make his way downstairs and out to where the others were fighting. Opening the book, he found what was going on. Saber and his comrades were rushing over to where Leysritt and Lancer were fighting. Leysritt's poison had gotten past the worst bit, and Lancer had dodged the attack once she was able, but she was hurt quite badly because of the poison. A huge gash had been opened up in Lancer's side, but she was still fighting with Leysritt with all of her strength. She was pushing herself to her limit, and there was not much time before the others were back. She had to make a final push so they could come back and either fight what remained of this creature, or be able to return to a world that was back to normal. Tokiomi kept his eyes on the fight and on the book as they continued to clash. "Seems like we need to hurry this along," Tokiomi said as he took out his pen from his jacket and began to lower it to the page. He spoke as he began to write. The words flew from his hand to the page as they acted out in front of him. "Lancer pushed Leysritt from her, and charged her, running the spear through her body. Against the wall, she clung to life, gripping the spear with her hands. Her grip slackened as the bloody creatures she summoned began to strike once more, but began to deteriorate with her waning power. Saber and his comrades struck them down and soon joined Lancer, awaiting the next strike from the now dying foe."

 _That should do it._ Tokiomi said, as he began to close the book. Down at the bottom of the page, he could see ink began to bleed through, without the assistance of the quill that floated down the page, or his own pen. Dark blood red ink splattered here and there, blotting out some of his own words. The new words read: "Leysritt charged her, running the spear through her body. Against the wall, she clung to life. The bloody creatures she summoned began to strike once more. Saber and his comrades struck down and soon join Lancer, awaiting the next strike from the foe." The remaining words took up the entire rest of the page, in strange looking letters that looked as if written by a creature familiar with the human tongue, but unable to correctly grasp a quill or pen. "Leysritt can now achieve what she was set out to do. With these bodies, they will make sufficient sacrifices to the grail, and the Master shall be reborn."

* * *

With only an hour left, the group of masters and servants all met in the training area. As they all entered, something felt off. Someone was missing. Rin was the first to speak about it as she entered. "Where's Assassin? Was she not with you Sophia?"

"No… I slept for most of the time we were in the room. When I woke up she… wasn't there…" Sophia replied, dejected that she had lost her servant from her side for a moment. She was just too exhausted after everything. She just wanted to rest and hoped that Assassin would have done the same. They had both been up and ready for anything for the better part of the days that the war took place in. _How could she still have enough strength to move and do things?_

"She's here," Archer said, as he nodded upwards towards the ceiling of the place. Webbing was suspended above, almost like a hammock, where a large body was wrapped up with long pointed legs hanging off the side. The body of a gigantic spider rested above, sounding in a deep slumber. "She seems to be asleep. Do you want me to wake her up?" He replied, once everyone took a look for themselves. Caster let a swirling bolt of energy fly through the air, cutting the webbing at the suspension points, and dropping the huge spider to the floor. Midway down, a small scream was heard, but upon landing, no one was harmed, and Assassin was on her feet; all eight of them. With her upper body as the head, and her legs forming into the lower half of the spider, Assassin yawned, putting a long clawed hand to her mouth. "Hey guys… didn't know what time it was… Man… I feel good. So how much longer do we have here?"

"Why didn't you sleep when you had the chance!?" Caster said, angry at the sleepy Assassin for her lackadaisical attitude to the situation. "We need to use this time to figure out how to fight that… thing once we are out. I don't think Lancer can do it alone. She may be strong, but she is not as strong as that monster."

"Hey hey. I've been thinking about strategies. Don't you worry missy." She said, before move a bag of some kind from her side to her front. From it, she pulled out a large, old, and dusty tome. She blew the dust from it and wiped her clawed hand across it to get what she could off. It had no title, or even hint of one in the first few pages, and the lettering on it looked foreign and strange. She unfolded it on the ground in front of her, and then crossed her arms. "This… is my plan." She said with a snarky smile.

"What is this Assassin? You used this before didn't you?" Archer said, scanning it and looking it over. She nodded to agree and began to explain once everyone had taken a quick look at it. "Think of it as… well… a book of knowledge." She flipped through it, searching for something. "I believe us servants may have revealed enough about ourselves for our master's to know who and what we are. I've told Sophia all that I am, but to you all, you know me as some loudmouthed spider thing." She let her arm move downward and sweep down her body, hand extended, displaying her long spider-like body to them. "But you don't know my name, or my history." She continued from there, flipping through her book as she did. The more they knew about one another, the better they would be able to understand each other's tactics, ideas for battle, and find a way to take down Leysritt as quickly as possible. They all were hesitant. It felt as if they were giving away a long kept secret, but it needed to be done. They all knew it. They all ran down their pasts. The remaining servants provided all they could initially, then they all asked questions. Assassin told about her time talking with the sky god, stealing the knowledge of all things, and then spreading it around; Caster told of her journey into a place called Korea, how arduous it was, and the many different deities that have gone by her name of Gaxi Sonim, or inhabit disease and death. Ignus told of Saber, as a way to participate a bit, and told of the item that he had left behind. Then it was Archer's turn.

He told them of his life in the forests with his comrades and family. He spoke of his role in the group, hunting and gathering essentials for them to make clothes, food, and weapons. The friends he had came to his mind as well. Trapper, his companion in hunts most times, and his demise from the dreaded disease, and the one who he saw as the love of his life, Light, who also succumbed to the disease in her own bed. He was the only one who was left.

"That's as far as I can remember honestly. Past that, I wandered through the forest, surviving, and then all of a sudden, I was in front of Rin, and had a strange grasp on the situation of the war." He said, looking down to her as she stood beside him.

"The stipulations of the war seemed to make sure all the servants that were summoned knew of the situation they were in, making explanations much easier of positions, ideas for attack and defense, and a way to understand one another on a basic level," Caster pointed out, before raising a fisted hand up to her chin, "So… From our stories, it sounds like all of us have a past as a deity of some kind… whereas you are…" She held her tongue and bowed a little. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound that way." Archer brushed it off while Caster continued. "But what can we learn from this? I have magic and many others inside me that embody death. That should be enough to take this woman down would it not?"

 _And all of us as well if your's and Reinalt's story is to be believed._ All of the others thought at once. The idea wasn't something they wanted to risk, but if they did, who could they rely on? Caster went through many of the gods and goddesses that embodied death and disease that she could call on, but many sounded too maniacal and terrifying. There was a few that seemed that might be more reliant however once she went over their names. The Morrigan; A set of three sisters who are said to preside over fate, death, and war. They would know how to deal with this woman, and could possibly stop her for good. However…

"Even the ones I can speak to easily… they have never seen them. They are hidden far down in the darkness. Farther than any have been. Even the most deadly and dangerous never go there… if their words are to be believed." Caster spoke as shivered crawled down her body.

Assassin and Archer both looked at each other. "That may be out best bet still." She said. "All I can provide is knowledge and some help with word magic." Archer followed her up. "I have my bow and arrows. I have some grasp on magic, but just what Light taught me. Aside from that, I hardly know what I can do in this world."

Caster and Assassin both looked at each other. "What did you just say?" Assassin said, scuttling over to Archer, and then looking down at Rin. "Rin… tell me… how does Archer fight when you have seen him? What does he do?"

Rin began her explanation from the beginning. Taking down the creatures in the forest, her golem, the wolfling, and with their fight with Lancer. He was quick and agile, but could attack from almost anywhere; he had traps, seemingly indestructible blades, and could even perform arrow barrages by himself. "Thinking back now," Rin said, "I still have no idea how you fired that large arrow and killed Berzerker, but you did that as well. Can you make another one of those?"

The idea stuck from there on. Reinalt, Rin, and Sophia set to their work of learning each other's magic and learned from one another, while Assassin and Caster asked Archer to show them his battle prowess. Caster tried again and again to create the weapon that took down Berzerker, but it could never form properly to be created. Archer however, came through for them once again. "If your magic does not work, I will use my own. I truly only know three spells. Light only taught me the ones she thought I could handle and use effectively. She never thought I needed the spells that she normally used." He held out his hand in front of him, palm downward, and closed his eyes. In a moment, his arm seemed to tighten, his muscles clenched, and in his hand, a strangely large spear of an arrow began to appear. Once done, he gripped it and held it out. "Replication. It's not perfect, but it's close to the real thing. I'm the only one who can use them though… I can't give these to others to use."

Assassin and Caster crowded around him, both asking questions one after another without waiting on answers. "Who the hell are you!? How the hell can you do that!? How do you make that?! How much mana does that use? Can you really use them just like their originals? Do they work just the same?!" The questions just kept coming and coming, and Archer tried to answer all the ones he could. The group continued to practice and make preparations as they could, until one of the maids came forward. "You all have ten minutes left. Please eat what you can to be prepared for your fight once you leave. Things are not looking good for our Master. Prepare yourselves. And good luck to all of you."

* * *

When the smoke cleared, Tokiomi could see the remains of Saber and his comrades below the feet of Leysritt, their bodies evaporating into concentrated mana. At her feet lay Lancer; a huge hole filled with a halberd in her stomach stuck her to the ground. As the smoke cleared, she left her weapon in Lancer, and moved past the evaporating bodies over to Tokiomi. She looked different. The purple garments she had worn had given way to a white body suit of sorts, with a loose gown hanging from her shoulders. Armor was around her arms and legs, but she wore no shoes. As she moved, she held herself in a much lighter step, but the steps held a weight that showed her fully in her element. This was a warrior of her order, not a mage without armor firing spells.

"You little rascal! I thought I killed you up there!" She knelt down beside him, giving him a grin that could only be a predator playing with its food. "Well your little spells seemed to hold up to my attacks. However… I don't think your spells can handle that spear that's holding your little servant down."

Tokiomi looked over to Lancer, and she twitched to life for a moment, rolling her head over to her master. He looked up to Leysritt, who was staring at her now as well. "Don't you worry. I'm not killing her yet. Those four that came to help, they should be enough. I'll let you all witness Master coming, then… I'll dispose of you." She said it as if it were going to be as simple as splitting wood or boiling water. "With those others gone, it was much easier to focus on just this one little fly." She looked back to Tokiomi, and let a grin come across her face again. "And now another fly had to come back. Why don't you give me that book? You shouldn't have toyed with it to begin with." She held out her hand, looking more like claws than anything else. Tokiomi scooted backwards, but she followed. "Please now. I want you to see master. If I kill you now, where's the fun in that? I want you all to see the thing that will end your stupid little world. If I kill you and take the book, then your last moments won't be as terrifying as I want them to be."

Tokiomi stuttered a moment, for perhaps the second time in his life, feeling truly afraid and scared that he may die. "I've already written down that… they would win. There's no way they can lose now." He spoke finally, hoping to shake the creature before him with words of her reckoning.

"The Masters and Servants of the Holy War have won, and their wishes have been granted." He spoke the words, but the creature before him hardly paid any mind to it. "That's fine. Master says that's all a part of the plan. Now… book. Please." She snapped, extending her hand once more. As he began to lift it to her hand, an arrow zoomed between them, skewering through Leysritt's arm, and leaving a small hole in it for a moment before her body healed itself quickly. Looking to its source, Archer stood with another arrow already drawn. "Stand down. There is no way you can win this fight. You and your master will die here. I swear it." He said, as the others came to his side, readying their spells and themselves for the fight that was about to happen.

"You are all too late. Your comrades, your world, your everything, is now Master's. I will give you all as sacrifice once he is here. Let us continue playing then, shall we?" She giggled maniacally. "Prepare yourselves, body and mind, for what you are going to witness. This shall be your final memories of this life!"


	21. Chapter 20

Tokiomi dashed away to them; book still in hand, before retreating behind a rock close to the group of Masters and Servants. He watched closely, watching them all and looking to the book for answers. Nothing made sense at the moment. He could hardly comprehend what was going to happen... Soon, they would all be dead, or worse. He thought what he could do to help himself; but nothing came. _Am I going to die here? Alone?_

Leysritt held her hand in front of her, as her spear pulled itself from Lancer's dying body and flew to her hand, a cry of pain coming from her as it did. Lancer pulled herself up, and looked over to the others. She felt something move through her body as she looked to them. A soft warmth filled her chest, and the hole in her stomach. _Is this healing? Or death coming to take me?_ She looked to them for some semblance of information on the subject, but could only see one person doing anything in the standstill between everyone. Ignus; the boy who had saved her once before, seemed to be moving his fingers and reciting something to himself. _Saber… you have a wonderful master._ Was all she could think, before laying down again, letting the magic he cast do its job. In a matter of moments, soft skin and muscles had replaced where the hole had been.

Leysritt looked over to Lancer, and merely scoffed. "It matters not. One extra flame for me to extinguish once again. But… Master is on his way, so perhaps, I will allow you to witness his birth before I destroy you all. Yes… that would be perfect. Perhaps once you see master you will know why I do what I do. Why your sacrifices matter so much… and perhaps he can explain our goals better to you than I can." She grinned once more, before planting her halberd into the ground. The ground shook once she did, as the sky turned a disgusting color of deep green, purple, and red; colors that could only be given a representation of disease, malice, and bloody anger and hate. What coalesced before them was at first, an orb, holding a shadowy form of an unborn child within it; the horrid sphere writhed and moved with a grace that was… altogether unnatural. Another sphere formed around it, covering the orb in a cloak of darkness that seemed to move down towards the ground in a fog that coated all it touched in varying degrees of darkness. After this, fleshy wings with purple appendages and red skin cloaked it yet again, as a screaming face formed as a head above them, solidifying in a tormented state. As this finished, blood seemed to congregate below it, as a base that would receive it. An altar formed, and a cradle of sorts lay in wait atop it, as the orb floated down and laid to rest on it. Not but a few hundred yards away, there it was. They all knew what it was called. It was what they fought over. This was the wish they fought for; or more specifically, what thing would grant the wish they desired. The King promised to grant them their wish so long ago was long forgotten and dead. This. This was what would grant them their wish.

"This is the Holy Grail. My Master's vessel. He, shall grant you your wish," Leysritt said as she retrieved her spear, and motioned for them to follow. "Come. If your servant is alive with you, and you began this war, you have won. Come, obtain your wish." With shock and awe washed over them, they could only follow. While they wanted Leysritt gone, they had been working towards this wish since the start of the war not long ago. What else could they do but comply? As they moved forward, Ignus moved to Lancer, and helped her up. "You…" She said, coughing a bit as she stood up, "thank you… I cannot express my gratitude enough. I hope that…" She said, but was soon silenced by the master before her. With a somewhat harsh "Shhh!" She silenced herself, and smiled as he spoke. "You can't be using your energy to talk right now. Rest, and I'll keep healing. It seems we aren't done with this fight. We still have quite a lot to do." He smiled at her, before looking at the horn in her hand. "I'm glad you are safe Lancer." The warmth was more powerful now. The spell he continued to cast seemed to overlap in complexity the more he cast it. Words wove into his hand motions and the energy he was pulling from the ground and air around him seemed to simply form into the energy he needed. No conversions, no rituals; for him, it was as simple as a few words, a few movements, and concentration. It was done. She felt just the same as not but a few days ago. "This spell…" She said, clenching her fist and stretching a bit before continuing. "Whatever Saber taught you… no… Whatever magics that you can perform; these are akin to miracles. Ignus… just what all can you do?"

As they neared the altar of what looked like blood red stone, a feeling of dread loomed over and in them all. What they were doing, and the process of all they had accomplished, just felt terribly wrong. The sacrifice of those that they defeated, and those that Leysritt had brought down as well; it had all come to this. As they got closer, Leysritt stopped and asked them all to move in a specific order. "The Master will hear your wishes, one at a time, and will decide on how best to carry out the wishes once he has heard them all. You will move up the altar, Master and Servant, and present your wish to him. Once he has spoken to you, you may come back down and join us again. Understood?"

No one answered, but they all understood. Some let out breaths that were held from the time the master appeared. Others whispered together. This team that had worked so hard towards beating back Leysritt before, now seemed so compliant and willing to do anything for this promised wish. _Just as planned Master. These simple creatures fall easily once their desires are promised to them. Once we destroy this place we can begin anew, and change all of time for the better, where you are the supreme one… then… we can be together forever._ Leysritt thought as she watched the first group move up to her master. Reinalt and Caster moved up to the altar, and bowed. As they rose, they took in deep breaths, exhaled, and began. Reinalt was first. "I wish for my family to prosper. We are mountain dwellers, with little resources of our own besides the minerals we find inside our mines. If the mountain were to prosper, then so would my family."

 _A simple but strong wish. Making his home a place of resources would make his family a force to be reckoned with in the ways of money and provisions. However…_ Leysritt scoffed a bit as she heard, but kept her thoughts to herself. _It will all end in pain and agony. Your meager existence in those mountains could end with a cave in, a terrible earthquake, or something even more tragic. You will prosper for sure, in the memories of those that survive you. The mountain will surely prosper atop your bodies._

Caster stepped up next, and stammered somewhat before getting her wish out. "A home. I want… a home. For so long, the Gaxi Sonnim have wandered back and forth from… There original place to the surrounding islands. I want a place I can call home." _What a naïve little witch._ Leysritt thought again. _A home? Your home can be in the ground with the rest of your disease ridden and death dealing ilk. This land is only for master, and you will all soon see that firsthand._

The others came and went for the same thing, and Leysritt could feel her master's decision for each reverberate in her mind.

Sophia, "I wish for a way to… learn magic once again so that I may be a better mage." _Learn of death._

Assassin, "I wish to know the forbidden knowledge that my books do not give me." _The knowledge of death, pain, and sorrow? Of course of course!_

Rin, "I wish to return my servant to his world with his family and life intact!" _Fine fine! Your world for his!_

Archer, "I wish for you to have not been created. I wish you were gone and this war done." _Death to…_

Leysritt stepped forward, pointing a razor sharp clawed hand towards Archer. The hostility was fierce. "You speak as such to the one who could give you anything? You wish for the wishes of the others to be discarded so as that the Master will… die?" She held her position, awaiting an answer. If he wanted to try and strike the Master down, he could go ahead and try, but there would be no way that would be possible. She just needed to keep up appearances. The action however, still angered her a great deal. It always had. Each war, someone, a master or servant, would decide to go against the agreed upon terms. It always infuriated her. Putting everything in place, and making everything perfect for these fools to gather and use their mana to revive the Master… And then all of a sudden someone wanted to destroy all of it.

The others looked to the spectacle before them, and still waited. Their plan was not ready yet as it were. Ignus had stayed behind to heal Lancer and initiate the plan with her. Without her, they had a backup, but it was more of a last resort. They just needed more time. More time. These wishes were perfect, but… They couldn't add more to them could they? With how Leysritt talked before, she was going to destroy them all and the world to revive her Master. How could their wishes come true and that happen as well? It all made little sense. None of them were fooled. They wanted her gone, as well as the disgusting Master before them.

"Answer me!" Leysritt yelled. As she did, she could hear something in the air, as stepped back quickly. In front of her now, stood stuck in the blood red altar, was a spear, belonging to the servant she had struck down once before. Lancer stood, healthy and intact, near where she was put down by Leysritt not moments ago.

 _That child… he revived her! What power could he possess that he could bring this creature back?_ Her body shook before moving her attention back to Archer, now close to the spear. "Your friend's actions matter not! Do you intent to destroy the very thing that can give you your wishes!? I will fight you in Master's stead just as I did before for the sacrifices! Now, it is only a matter of time unti—," A noise reverberated from the orb that sat atop its throne. It penetrated the mind and felt as if needles were slowly boring into it, penetrating the deepest of memories and functions. The sensation brought most of the masters and servants to their knees, but Leysritt stood amongst them, reveling in the feelings she had not felt in so long. "Ahhhhh… The master… He's touching us… feeling our emotions and what we truly want. He will know your true wishes… and surely make them come true… with the death of this world and the everlasting pain he will give you all!" Her voice grew louder and louder as drilling into their minds halted slowly. She looked to the group before her, and planned her attacks quickly. She seemed to glide across the ground to Rin, Archer intercepted her almost immediately, wielding Lancer's spear and crossing with Leysritt's claws. For a moment, she held her position, before disengaging and moving to another target close by; Caster. Ready for the attack, a blackened wall of darkness came forth before her. Leysritt cut through it, and moved forward, slashing again and reaching Caster's body. She cut through the layers of cloth on Caster, cutting into her stomach deep enough for blood to begin pooling in the gashes. Caster went to her knees a moment, as Reinalt ran up to Leysritt to attack her himself. The others closed in on her as she jumped upwards, and was met by Archer, clashing with her once more with his blades this time. Strike after strike, he continued his assault, but was met with a strike to block his own each time. Leysritt seemed one step ahead as the seconds sped by. Caster mustered up her strength and fired a few bolts of magic towards Leysritt, along with Sophia and Assassin launching a flurry of daggers towards her. Rin pinpointed her and shot a ruby her way which exploded in a fiery blast around the fight. _That had to have done something. She isn't immortal. She can be beat. We just need to wear her down so Archer can…_

"Archer's going to fire the arrow that downed Berzerker and anything else he can replicate into her. That will surely decimate her." Assassin said, with a definite nod from Caster during their meeting in Lancer's place of hospitality. It was all they had to go on really. Assassin could possible use her book of words to stop Leysritt a moment, but not to outright kill her. "I don't know who she is. She's not recorded anywhere in the book… She's just… obscure and unknown." She said with a shrug. Caster's method was not much better either. Embodying a figment of death or disease would spell disaster for more than just Leysritt if they wanted the world back to normal. "I can try to command someone else… someone a bit more stable… but I feel I will be as much help as they will…"

And that left Archer and his replication ability. If it was as powerful as it sounded, it could possible take her down, or at least weaken her enough for the others to finish the job. There was still the fact that he may still have something he was not telling, or unable to tell them, but with their time running out, they would come to that bridge when they had to.

 _Archer… is there anything else you can do?_

* * *

The words rang out in his mind while he fought Leysritt in the explosions smoke. Rin was worried that their plan wouldn't work, with good reason. No one wanted to die, and no one wanted this thing alive again. Their entire hope lied with him. Fate rested in his hands. He was prepared to sacrifice himself if it came to it. He had done much thinking in their time away from the fighting. What did he truly want from all of this? The time he spent with Rin was… amazing. He was reminded of Light at every turn she made and every expression and face. It was truly terrifying how alike they were. While Light was always gentle, she had her mean streaks. Rin on the other hand, was sarcastic and quite blunt, but when needed, she was like a mother taking care of a hurt child. They both react the same to danger, facing it head on in their own way, and turning to everyone else to ensure to them that while they may be scared or terrified of the situation, they would all be alright. Afterwards however, to Archer, Light would say how scared she was, confiding in him. And now Rin was doing just the same.

Strike after strike, he could feel her reacting to his movements. Leysritt seemed just one step ahead each time he attacked. _Archer… please…_ Rin came through again, and shot another gem towards Leysritt, knocking her down from their aerial battle. Leysritt landed, and dashed towards Rin once again. This time, her attack landed. The multiple defenses placed upon Rin blocked most of the attacks, but still sent her flying backwards. She hit the ground hard and scrambled to her feet as quickly as she could. Sophia and Assassin intercepted Leysritt's advance on Rin this time, and fought her off as best they could, but they both knew they were unsuited for this kind of combat. Attack after attack was blocked and moved aside almost. They merely bought time for her to get up and gain some distance. Reinalt and Caster were not by her side, her wounds patched by the darkness she could control around her. Reinalt and Caster stood at the ready, creating barriers and defenses with the shadows and earth beneath them, and Archer soon came to her side as well. They could see Sophia and Assassin retreating to them as Leysritt held her hand upwards, as her spear came to her once more. She dashed forwards towards them all, breaking through the shadow and earthen barriers easily, and struck at them one by one. Moving through their guards and spells with the grace of a dancer, each of the combatants were knocked back or cut in some way. Knocking Caster, Reinalt, Assassin, and Sophia aside, Archer stood his ground, with Rin behind him.

"Master will be revived. I can defeat all of you in one fell swoop if I so desire." She smiled once again; that terrifying and sadistic smile. "I am growing bored of your attempts at resistance. There must be something you have not shown me yet. Please. Entertain me!"

Archer gave the spear to Rin, and walked forward. "Entertain? Is that all this is to you?" He drew his swords from his sides, and pointed one at Leysritt. "If you want a fight, then it is with me. I hope you are prepared. I am bringing the full might of the forest to you for what you've done. You've scared my Master, and you've killed our friends. I will not stand for this."

Suddenly, the others seemed to disappear, and before Leysritt's eyes, the terrain changed. _Strange. Master's magic should be able to overpower this easily._ Trees shot upwards out of the ground, forming from seeds and saplings, growing rapidly into fully grown and gigantic towers of wood. The decayed and rotting earth below turned to hard stones in some places, and foliage and growing green plants in others. A river could be seen springing from the well, and flowing down the old streets, now bends of the forming forest. Birds and other animals roamed around, called, and cried as the forest finished forming. The sun was bright overhead as Archer came out from behind a tree, swords in hand and bow and quiver on his back. His outfit looked like the hunter garb he had so long ago, but his expression was that of anger, and the need to finish off this prey as quickly as possible.

 _This is what you have you worthless servant? A forest?_ "A forest Archer? This is how you will kill me?" Leysritt said, looking around at her surroundings. It was beautiful, but worthless to her. All of this energy could be used for her Master, but instead it had gone to make this… place.

"This shall be your grave Leysritt. Prepare yourself. This forest will consume you." Archer stepped out and sheathed his swords. "After that, Your Master shall be next." He leapt upwards, and into the high trees. Leysritt couldn't track him. His presence seemed everywhere, and nowhere at the same time. The forest was a part of him, just as he was a part of the forest. As she stood in the small clearing, and as the sun beat down brightly above. She could feel as if she was alone in her thoughts, but a myriad of eyes were trained on her, waiting for her to move, and to see what she would do.


	22. Chapter 21

She couldn't stand it. She had walked for miles it seemed and found little in the way of a way out. She could feel time pass, but the sun still hung high in the sky in the same spot. Wild animals surrounded her in the forests, and ran at the slightest provocation from her. A kicked rock or a heavy footfall sent them racing. She sunk her halberd into trees as she jettisoned herself towards any figure that even resembled her opponent, but once there, the figure would move, or not be there at all. The illusions and spells that the forest played on her, they could not pierce her mind, could they? She was her Master's Servant. Much like the same way all of these Master's had Servants. She was powerful. More powerful than any of these that had been summoned or those that controlled them.

 _Then why?!_ She thought, as she galloped down a path that ran with the stream. _What is it that makes this Servant so powerful?!_ _Why can't I find him!? What is this!?_ Questions raced through her. Archers were never the strongest of the servants. Sabers of course were, then Clerics, Lancers, and those lower classes had their ways of gaining the upper hand, but Archers had range, and versatility. They could do many things, and excel at some of those. None could surpass the other classes though. What was it about this one that made him so strong!?

Infuriated with the chase, she let out a scream and cut down the trees by the stream. With a powerful swing, her land cut through the trunks with ease and with a loud rumble, and crack of the wood, the monoliths of nature came crashing to the ground. She dashed through her wreckage, and continued on a path of destruction; cutting down everything in her way. She tore through brush and trees alike, leaping over boulders and felled trees that already littered her path. She just wanted destruction. She wanted him to come out and face her. She wanted to kill this servant who now plagued her. Then she heard it, an arrow zip past her, cutting into her shoulder as she dodged it at the last moment. The pain was exhilarating, and once she felt it, she turned quickly and dashed towards its origin. "I have you now! You're mine!" She exclaimed, with joy and maddening happiness in her voice. But there was nothing there. A trap was set off. Some something triggered it, it was loose an arrow it held at the ready. It was intricate, and strange how something so complex could be made with simple twigs and vines. It fueled her once she found it. Like coal to a flame, her anger ignited once more.

"Show yourself! Stop your hiding and face me! I will destroy you once I find you!" She screamed to the sun as it beat down on her. Her body was getting heavy, and since time seemed to be standing almost still in here. She moved back to the stream, and watched the water pass by. It seemed to slow down as her vision seemed to darken. She shook herself and looked around. _It's playing tricks on me. This forest._ She walked slowly, moving and sensing as much as she could around her. Every movement through the trees, every sound of footfall and falling leaf, she noticed it. She was starting to get the feel of the place. The forest was one with him, so of course he was everywhere. She just needed to know where tension in the air was greatest, and that was where an attack would be. Air pressure differentiation, quieter steps halted breaths.

She sent her halberd hurdling through the dense trees across the stream. With a guttural scream from something as her weapon met flesh and sunk itself into a tree, she skipped through the water to where it landed, only to find a small bear skewered to a tree, struggling to get itself free. Eyes filled with rage, she moved over and grabbed her weapon, prying it from the bear's body. With a loud roar, it lunged at her, but she thrust the spear into it again, and again, and again. She did not stop until the bear slumped to the ground, dead and bloody. She stabbed it a few more times, letting the air in her lungs escape in a sharp bite of anger. She could feel eyes. Hundreds, thousands of them were watching her kill this creature of the forest. She turned quickly and made her way back to the stream. _I'll keep killing if it makes you come out. If it makes you come out. I'll kill everything here. Everything… EVERYTHING WILL DIE!_ She waded through the water back to the other side, and set off, slashing and stabbing at every living thing she could find; racing around to find the next victim for her anger. _I WILL FIND YOU._

* * *

Archer lay in wait behind the small hill that rose before the sight of the dead bear. It was a sight to see for sure. She had skewered it so many times that it hardly looked like an animal anymore. Her rampage prior had done a number to the forest in her path, but with where she was going now, it wouldn't matter. This forest was his after all. Everything was something he could combat, something that could help him, and his domain. There would be no escape for her. It was just a matter of time until Archer could finish her. He crept along behind her through the tree tops. In her rage she couldn't notice his movements, and the poison from the arrow seemed to have been taking effect on her. She seemed slightly sluggish, and a bit slower to notice things around her. It was only a matter of time until she ran out of energy now. From branch to branch, he travelled along her path, watching close to avoid any obvious movements she might see. He was a hunter after all. While he was strong enough to fight her one on one, his instincts still took over as he stalked his prey.

A clearing was ahead, and in it, low grass expanded around a gigantic tree; a memory of Garland if there ever was one. It looked just the same. The large entrance, the light glow it emitted throughout it, and small pods that were used for sleeping. It looked just like what it had in his mind. No one was there however. He knew that. Light was gone, Trapper, everyone… they were all gone in the world he was in now, and perhaps in the one he left as well. It all stopped here. To him, she was the reason all this happened. The disease had hurt many while he was still there, but why would he be the only one left? Rin might have constructed the tale, but he didn't get born from that did he? Impossible. It was HER fault. Leysritt's. And her so called master in that orb. Her master sent his life into a spiral and destroyed his entire world. He couldn't let this stand, and he couldn't let her get away. In this world he was in now, he had people he cared for, and he wanted this to end. No more Masters and Servants, just people enjoying life. He wanted it better. He wanted to stay with Rin and live his life.

Throughout their time together, Rin had been a constant. Worrying about him, helping him learn the ways of what was going on, getting accustomed to magic, his abilities, and everything in between. She taught him and he taught her. Her smile, her demeanor, she looked, sounded, and acted just like Light did in his past. It was as if she was here all along and called out to him to come and avenge her or still stand at her side. He couldn't give that up. There was no way he could. He had to defeat this thing that stopped her from enjoying her life.

He leapt down and stood in the clearing, bow drawn at the ready. "You got what you wanted. You've destroyed some of this forest and brought me out. I hope you are prepared to die here."

Once he finished, she turned slowly, and looked at him with eyes that were filled with a sickening joy that could only be from a killer that had found lost prey. Her gritted teeth into a smile bled somewhat as her harsh breath escaped the sides of her mouth. "Finally… You're… you're here… We…" She spit the blood around her teeth out, "We will settle this now… I will… I will… KILL YOU!"

She flung her spear towards him as he let go of the arrow he had ready. He ducked out of the way of the halberd just in time as the arrow zipped through the air and cut just on her shoulder. The cut wasn't deep and the wound was shallow, but it bled. _That's all I need._ He thought, as he began running towards her, swords now in his hands. Her claws swiped at him vigorously, but his blades countered and blocked or struck her hands just as quickly. _I'm still keeping up with her, and I'm a bit faster even…_ She pushed him back, by where her halberd stuck into a tree. He could feel the sharp point of the end near his back. He thrust her forward, and in her rage, she dashed towards him with another clawed swipe. Ducking and moving out of the way quickly, the pointed base of her spear met her hand, and slid through it. Pain didn't display on her face in the slightest. She tried to turn back to him, but couldn't due to being pinned by her halberd. She wrested it from the tree, and rushed him again, each stab was as quick as lightning, but Archer could dodge them easily, jumping backwards and sending an arrow straight through Leysritt's thigh. It sunk in deep and hung there. As she took another step, her leg gave out, and she hit the ground hard. She grabbed the arrow, and pulled it out, along with much of her thighs muscle, and got up, coming towards Archer again. _As expected of her. I'll keep whittling her down and finish this soon._

She lunged for him, weapon in one hand and her claw swiping with the other, the gaping hole in the clawed hand still flung blood around the area. Archer dodged nimbly and moved back again to take another shot with his bow. This time however, once he fired, Leysritt leapt forward, and caught it as it came. Catching him off guard, she swung the halberd across him, and cut into his chest, sending him back to the trunk of another tree. He caught himself and moved quickly. There was no time to recover from the wound, he needed to move. She would not let him have a chance to rest. He could feel her pursuit as he dodged and moved to a more advantageous position. His breathe was heavy, and he could see that she was just as tired as he was, and losing more and more blood by the second. If he could simply dodge her attacks for a while, she might tire herself out.

Just as he thought he had some time to breath, she launched herself from her position, and thrust the halberd forward, slicing sideways once more, cutting into his chest again. The wound was deeper now, but still manageable. Pushed back, and now on the ground, he got up quickly, and leapt away. As he landed, his legs gave way, and he fell to one knee. _Shit. I gotta get up._ This time, Leysritt stood and looked at him, eyes wide, taking in everything around her. She wobbled a bit, but moved forward slowly. "I thought… you said I would die in this forest," She said, smiling that same smile as always, "I knew you would be wrong. This will be the end. Once you are dead, I'll be back and I'll destroy those others and give them their silly little wishes they want so much." She dashed at him again, each step ripping up earth as she barreled at him. Archer looked around for anything he might be able to do or escape to, but nothing was within reach. _No. Am I… going to die here?_

His heart felt like for a moment, and in burst of energy, he felt something come from his body as he lifted his arm to block the incoming attack. A shield of some kind. A shield of red and white light appeared in front of him. He sat there and awaited the incoming attack, hoping the shield would stay. As she hit it, the impact was lessened and the attack did not reach him. Instead, she began to whittle away at the shield, and kept attacking. She wouldn't stop. The shield was strong, but not as strong as her. Archer steadied himself, and leapt backwards into the trees, and thought while he could. There had to be something he could do to finish this. A way to stop her quickly. He could make Lancer's spear. It was quick and possibly the best option if she didn't block it or anything, but he would need time to set it up and make it. He needed to pin her down somewhere… Somehow. Then the idea struck him. Just like in the forest against that creature… Concentrating on the area, and visualizing in his mind, around the entirety of the clearing, archer's poised to fire on her, a barrage to attack. He raised himself up, and readied himself. She was searching for him now. The forest taking over her rage more and more. She acted more like a wild animal while fighting him since they started. She had to kill him. She had to kill him, or she had to die trying. This was her meal and hers alone. She couldn't let him get away.

But the Hunter was too resourceful. He used his surrounded to his advantage, and now, he was ready to subdue his prey.

With himself at the head, he launched his arrow, and the ring around the clearing shot as well, it was as if he had fifty, or one hundred or more archers surrounding her, firing arrows into the sky that rained down on her. She moved and dodged many of them, but still just as many found their mark, and pinned her to the ground. She struggled and struggled, tearing her skin and clothing from the arrows, but she couldn't rip herself from them. A human pin cushion, she stood up and watched as Archer came out of the surrounding wood, and steadied his aim on the large bow, readying Lancer's spear as an arrow. It took a moment to steady and aim, but it was ready just as Leysritt was tearing her feet from the ground and getting some of the arrows from her thighs so she could move. He fired, and sent the spear careening through the air, and pierced through Leysritt.

The spear went straight through her body, sending her back to the ground on her back. Blood pooled around the wound and trickled out of her wounds like water. She coughed a few times, splattering blood around her face as she gave that strange smile yet again. Still, mustering enough strength to talk, she took a few gasps of air before speaking. "You… were a worthy opponent. This… may be the end for me… But I shall go to master… and you will have to deal with him still. Many others have tried this… and you all will not… be the last." She smiled again, and took a final long breathe, before remaining motionless, that terrifying smile still on her face, her teeth now stained somewhat red from the blood. Archer closed his eyes and lowered his head. As he did, the forest seemed to close in on him, and his surroundings began to change. He felt everything go back to what it was before, and soon, he stood at the altar once more, being gripped by Rin, and looked over and treated by her soon after. She spared no time to start healing him, even in his stupor after coming out of his forest. He was relieved the fight was over, and even more relieved that she was alright. He looked down to see her worried face, and looked over to the altar, seeing Leysritt's body lying in front of it, blood still oozing out of her and moving to its base.

The group looked at their champion for defeating Leysritt. He looked hurt, but not as bad as Lancer had been. Closing her off from the Grail and her apparent power source seemed to make it easier to defeat her, or at least manageable in a fight, and now, she was dead. While excitement welled inside of everyone for finally getting rid of the main source of their torment, the fight was not over yet.

"Rest Archer. I don't know how much time we have," Rin said, with a gentle smile, "But you did it. You can rest a bit."

"We… can't rest much," He said, gasping for air. "She said that her Master would show up soon and… deal with us."

Caster and Assassin readied themselves around Archer and Rin, with Sophia and Reinalt behind them ready for whatever was to come at the altar. A heavy feeling of dread suddenly came crashing into them. Something was coming from the orb above the altar, and that something must be Leysritt's master. Lancer, now healed, Ignus and Tokiomi following close behind came to their side, ready for whatever was to show itself.

The orb that floated in the air seemed to melt down into the altar, spilling forth like a goblet overflowing with a dark purple and black liquid with a rolling miasma around it as it did. Once it reached a certain point in its flow, it stopped, and as the watery contents finished it formed into a type of walkway, and at the head, stood a redden gate of light with a crown of black that formed into a cup of sorts. This was the coming of the master, and this was his vessel. As they all watched, they could feel it. Something pushing them to cower, to bow their heads to the absolute power before them, but they stood their ground. In the shining light at the top of the liquid like stairs, a voice emanated.

"Now is the time for your wishes to be granted. I have taken them all in, and thought. I will choose the best course so that all of your wishes can be fulfilled. To provide you all with your wishes, a cleansing must commence. A world that is free of life will be the perfect vessel for your wishes to flourish and grow. Rejoice, for the truth of your wishes is to be revealed now. You all wished for the same thing. Complete cleansing of this earth. Pray for the new life that springs forth in your absence, and prepare yourselves for the journey into the afterlife."

Their voices were taken away from the sudden shock of what was about to happen. They had to stop it somehow. Something had to be done. They did not have much time left. The ground was forming into a blackened mass and the surrounding dead foliage was turning from its decrepit sickly green to an even deeper brown and black; they had chance to end this, and that would be it. Above the grail, an orb was forming. It was sucking in everything around it, as well as drinking up the fluid like mess that was the altar. Everything was coming into it, being absorbed and stored for whatever end it had.

Archer stood with Rin at his side steadying him. His bow at the ready, he began to form the spine arrow from the wolfling again, twisted with a copy of the lance given to him by Lancer. Caster was at the front, sustaining a shield blocking all the debris that was coming at them from all around, but it was taking its toll on her. Her entire body had sustained numerous cuts and gashes from the fight, and her eyes seemed red with focus and pain. Ignus started up a small healing spell to send to her as Assassin was thumbing through her book as fast as possible, looking for some kind of word of empowerment that could help strengthen or protect the arrow he was about to fire. Lancer moved to Archer's other side, to steady him more. With a loud roar, her voice could be heard above all the earth breaking sounds around them. "We will survive this! We can do this! We've come this far! We will not fall!"

"Cryfhau!" Assassin yelled after finally finding the word she wanted. The end of the arrow, in its black and red twisted form, seemed to radiate a yellow light, and now, it was ready. "Caster now!" Archer yelled, and as he let loose the arrow, the shield was carried with it, knocking away any debris that got in its way. The power of it sent them all tumbling back to the ground as it careened through the air in a dazzling display. It shot through many pieces of rock and buildings that were flying into the giant orb above them. The arrow had a movement all its own as it soared into the light, and the suction of the orb seemed to stop. A sound radiated from the altar that was unknown to everyone. Something was hurt or dying, and these were its final screams of pain and anguish. The orb cracked, and began to ooze and gush with its contents; a black gunk that glopped and trickled down like a disgusting soup of ill creation. The sound radiated all around them now, and in its final moments, the orb and the altar burst with a large explosion. A scream from Ignus sounded something like a spell, but soon, everyone's vision blurred, as they all collapsed.

* * *

All around, the rubble and wreckage had settled, and the sky, the earth, everything seemed to be back to normal. A clear blue sky was above, as green grass around the destroyed city wavered and moved with the soft breeze that carried with it the simple smell of rain from far off, and possible hints of ocean waves. Movement was nowhere in the city since the huge catastrophe happened but minutes ago. A few rocked moved at the now demolished Lone Drake Inn as something from below ground burst up through the wreckage. Paul Bracken, huffing and puffing from the exertion, flopped out of the hatch that he had been stuck in. "Dammit. Those… kids… They musta did this…" He gave a small laugh. "I figured this woulda happen. Good thing I had some funds saved up. I'll needta hire a few people to rebuild this. First things first though…" He moved some rubble and found a few items he could use. A hammer, a pickaxe, a rope, and a spike to break apart the crumbled rocks. Gathering them up, he moved out and made his way towards the square. Not too far from it, a crumbled and wrecked remains of what appeared to be an altar of sorts stood on its last legs. He scrambled over the rocks as quick as he could, and with a loud voice, belted: "This is Paul Bracken! If anyone requires assistance let me know! Again this is Paul Bracken! Tell me if you need any help!" Over and over again he called, waiting for an answer. He moved as he called, hoping to reach those that came to his Inn at the very least.

"-al Bracken!" a voice called out between the screams of pain from her body. She could feel her body correcting itself with the help of the gems imbedded in her. Broken bones healed as her consciousness faded in and out. A strangely familiar tone echoed in her mind again, and brought her back. She mustered up what she could, and squeaked out a meager help. Her ribs clicked and cracked and her mind faded a moment, but she pushed through and held on.

* * *

The voice gained in volume and gain in familiarity. She could hear it clearly now. Who was that again? They must be close. It was her chance. She needed to get out. There were others that needed help as well.

"Anyone else need any assistance!?" The voice said again.

"He—," She said, coughing a few times. Her lungs felt heavy and damaged. Her whole body felt that way. Crushed and broken; but alive. "Here!" She said, mustering up enough breath and voice to say it as loud as she could. She felt it was hardly above a whisper, but she did her best.

"Who's that!? Keep talking if you can! I'll find ya!" The voice moved over closer, searching.

"Here. In… rubble. Below… I'm…" A light broke above her, and the blue sky was all she could see for a moment, then the face of an old man she had met a few times. His features familiar, but his name escaping her.

"Miss Rin! Oh gods! There are more aren't there? Do you know where the others are?" Paul said, still scraping and moving things away so she could possibly get up and move. She tried, and eventually forced herself to rise up from her position. Her back hurt, and her arms felt damaged… but she could move. Some parts felt as if they broke for a moment in the wreckage, but since then, have been repaired by all the spells that her father had put into her. She had no time to dwell on that now. She had to help Paul find the others. "I'll…" She coughed again, and cleared her throat. Her lungs were feeling better now. "I'll help you search. There are others. Anna, Sophia, my friend Archer, my father, another two women, and two more men." With a quick nod from Paul, he kept calling, as did Rin. They will find the others, no matter what it takes. _Hold on everyone… we're on our way!_


	23. Chapter 22 END

The light of the day grew brighter and brighter as they moved rubble around the area of the altar. Huge rocks were moved with magic or Paul's equipment, but the search continued. They called and called until their words were almost a chant now, rather than a statement. The only thing on both of their minds was that the people that stopped that thing from destroying their ways of life and their world were trapped now, possibly hurt and dying. They had to act as fast as possible.

"Call out if you can hear us! I know you are out there!" Rin called as loudly as she could. She could hardly catch her breathe. She moved as quickly as she could, bouncing from rock to rock. She pushed her hands to a large rock, and focused on it. With a few quick incantations, the rock began to move, and lift upwards. With the help of magic, moving the larger boulders of rubble were simple, but it did strain her quite a bit. She was feeling it now more than ever. Her mind ached and her body felt colder, except a small flame in her chest.

It had always been there, flickering faintly. He's alive. I just have to find him… Archer can't be gone… as long as this… warmth is with me.

Slowly but surely, they found each of them. It was a miracle that none of them had died. The spells cast by everyone must have been something amazing to dampen the damage that came through to them all. The first few were Caster and Reinalt, who were not far from one another. Reinalt was covered in a rocky black shell of sorts around him, which helped block most of the rocks and shielded him from the impact, however, he was exhausted, both mentally, physically, and his mana was gone. He was barely breathing due to everything. The rocks were simply crushing into his shell when they found him. Caster was face down in a small hole of sorts. There was only one rock on top of her, and it lay on a stretched arm that pointed in the direction of Reinalt. Her arm was broken in quite a few places due to the rocks, and from how she was positioned; her shoulder would be quite damaged as well. But she was still breathing. She was alive and holding on. Next, the group of Lancer, Ignus, and her father were found. Lancer shielded Ignus, whose mouth was bleeding from firing spell after spell to protect everyone as best he could. Lancer struck her spear in the ground next to Ignus, and huddled around it to sturdy herself once the rocks came in as they settled. Her body was bruised and it seemed she had broken ribs; but she lay close to him, holding his hand close to her. Tokiomi sat a bit farther away from them, in the fetal position, clutching the book as if it was his one true possession in this world he wanted to pass on with. His injuries were fairly minor, in the way of bruises and a cracked forearm. Next, much farther away, was Assassin and Sophia. Sophia was already getting up and out on her own, as most of the rocks that made it as far as she was were small comparatively. Assassin lay next to her, holding on as best she could. In the strange spidery form she took on, many of her appendages and her abdomen were covered in bruises and cuts; some still bleeding. Sophia was up quickly, and tending to her. "Have you…" She caught her breath and continued, "found everyone yet? Where are the others?"

"We've gotten them out of the rubble. All that's left is Archer," Rin said, before concentrating and performing a spell herself, as she had done with the others. A soft warm light radiated off of her and as she moved her hand, the light struck Assassin. A quick burst of mana was all it was. Concentrated and potent. Once it touched her, the wounds began to seal up and the bruises and broken limbs began to mend. "Let her rest, and you do the same. I'm going to find Archer with Paul."  
Sophia's eyes widened and tears welled in pools at the edges. "Mr. Bracken is… alive and here? Helping?"

Paul stepped aside by Rin, and nodded, looking down on Sophia in her tattered, torn, and bloody outfit for combat, and the large arachnid creature next to her. He knew who the other was once he saw her soft face resting on the grass. "'A course I 'as worried! You're both patrons of ma' inn! You were both stayin' till ya' won this war, and it looks like'ya did! Well done both of you! For your efforts, I'll extend the time'ya can stay for a bit! So no rush! Just sit there and get ta feeling better!" He gave them a toothy smile, and went over to them both, looking over their injuries and tending to them as best he could.

"I'm going ahead and looking for Archer, he must be close… He has to be." Rin said, before turning and moving to the next spot she could think he might be.

He could feel warmth in his chest that was familiar. It felt like the warmth that he always felt while Rin was around. Was it the same… or was this… death? A familiar feeling of warmth? Of letting your body go to whatever subdued you? The last memory he had was… That creature… whatever it was. They killed it… or he thought they did. He fired his arrow, and let it do its job. If that strengthening from Assassin, and the protections from Caster… If all that did its job as well… did they win?

They had to have. This warmth was from being alive, not slowly dying. He couldn't accept dying anyway. There was still a lot he needed to talk to RIn about, and to discover. He still had so many questions he needed answers too. He just needed to get up, and find her. But… where was he? Everything was dark around him, and nothing seemed like it wanted to move. His whole body felt heavy; crushed. He called his body to respond, but nothing moved in the slightest. He felt… nothing really. Everything was numb and cold, except his chest. He could feel the warmth radiating around him, sending energy through him, but nothing could use it. What was going on? Why couldn't he move!?

He felt the warmth pulse, and seem to pull him a bit. Something was calling him. He would answer it if he could. He opened his mouth to make some noise. Something. Anything really. Nothing came however. His voice was lost in all the blackness around him.

Rin must be close. She must be alive.

The thought hadn't crossed his mind before. Could she be gone? Surely not. If their attack did not kill that creature… is this the world they would be living in? Crushing and destroying darkness, waiting for Rin's mana to subside so they both fizzled out of existence? Something must just be blocking him. Something must be keeping him from her. This darkness or whatever was around him. He had to get rid of it. The warmth was getting stronger, and he could hear something. His name maybe? It sounded familiar… It was just barely audible…

The warmth flared in his chest, and a burst of power wrested his hand from whatever was holding it down. He lifted it upwards, and hit a few other solid parts of the darkness, but stretched farther. It was close. The voice was. Rin is close!

He reached and a beacon of light spread over him, all he could see was the light, and a shadowed hand reaching down to him. As soon as he touched it, a wave of relief flew threw him. It was Rin. She was safe… and as was the world they were in.

Archer was a broken mess. His entire body was covered in scrapes, bruises, bleeding cuts, and broken bones. But, he was alive. With Rin's supply of mana still feeding to him, the damage was lessened by a sizeable margin, but the recovery process was… slow to say the least.

As Rin moved the rocks that surrounded and crushed him, Archer was moved from the rubble there back to the Fiore Estate where most of the others were as well. The days moved on as the civilians came flooding back to partake in rebuilding their city. Word had travelled far that whatever event that had happened was now over, and a major threat had been subdued thanks to those that had gathered. Some lost their lives, but many of the people that partook in the war were triumphant and had thwarted the creature that inhabited the strange sky that had popped up just a few days ago. Now, in the process of being rebuilt, there was much to talk about between the families and the servants that now had stayed with them.

A month had passed since the incident, and construction on new buildings for all the destruction that had happened was going smoothly. Archer, now able to move around freely and with simply a bit of stiffness, was standing next to his master, seated at the head of the table. Around her sat her fellow Masters, who had stayed to help recover the city in a show of good will. "How is everything coming guys?" Rin asked the others. Sophia was the first to speak. She stood up swiftly and gave a report of sorts. "The reconstruction of most of the market is nearly finished now. Many of the inn's, stalls, and shops that were here before have already reopened and traders have started to flow in once news spread. We are steadily making headway on the surrounding buildings as well that were used for housing. Aside from that, the fountain in the square is almost done with its reconstruction as well." She gave a little bow and sat back down. Rin laughed a bit, but smiled at her. "Good. That's good to hear. Soon we'll be back to being the trade city we were." Reinalt nodded and simply started speaking. "The waterways and alleys are looking better as well. Most of the disgusting stuff that Caster put in the water is gone, and most of the outlying structures that sustained damage are being reinforced and finished. Many of the residents are already living in their homes."

With a heavy sigh of relief, Rin sat back in her chair and moved her hair away from her eyes. "Thank gods. I was quite worried that many of them wouldn't be coming back… Thank you Reinalt."

Finally, Ignus was the last, as he stood slowly and bowed, before giving his report. "The various areas around Melephast of religious, royal, and natural importance are quickly reaching their former image. With the graveyard, all disturbed graves," He let an unnatural cough come as he looked over to Rin's father, who gave him quite the look, "have all been righted and reburied, as well as the trees around them replanted or set right and corrected with natural magic. The religious halls have been reconstructed quickly, providing many with a needed morale boost in the work around them, and there has even been a group of priests pass through and offer some aid to those that want or need it. As for certain structures such as the King's estate and whatnot, they were left last on the list for reconstruction, since the king is no longer with us, but it is close to finished. I believe the new floor plans look much nicer than before, and the idea of its new use is quite popular amongst those who could use it in town."

This piqued Tokiomi's interest quickly. No one had told him about renovating the King's estate into something than what it had always been. In fact, these young mages hadn't told him anything about their restoration until but a week ago. He hadn't known a thing about it. He had kept to himself in the mansion with Lancer, observing and investigating her and to see how she was still able to stay even though the war was over. The question puzzled him, but now this new idea of the estate puzzled him even more.

"What the hell do you mean about this new function of the king's estate? Is it not to be used by the king?" He said, quite angry at the boy from house Champion. He despised his family to the utmost: A band of ruffians who had sacrificed their magic for power but were still allowed on the council. It is true this son might show some aptitude for it, but none of the others ever batted an eye at a book, let alone tried any sort of incantation of their own. Why would this one be different?

The look on the boy's face as he turned to Tokiomi sent more than a few chills down his spine. Tokiomi never would have believed he would ever have been frightened by an almost fifteen year old boy. His face was that of disgust, but one not of political power or of magical aptitude; the look was more of someone who had seem much more than their years could ever hold, and had witnessed more despair and sadness than one should bear. While Tokiomi might have more magical skill and ability, Ignus had gone through battles, and much hardship during the war with the other masters. His experience felt as if it already matched or even exceeded Tokiomi's own. Ignus spoke to him in a dull tone that was forced to sound polite. "The estate is being remade into a school of magic and craft. Apprentices of all kinds can gather there and hone their skills in magic, smithing, alchemy, leatherwork, carpentry, masonry, every kind of craft we have a specialist for." He looked back to Rin, giving a smile. "It was quite an idea once Rin asked me about it. I had no qualms sending requests to the capital and asking my father for a few funds to help get instructors. The stronger we make our cities, our people, the better."

"But what if the king were to come here!? Where will he stay?" He responded, flustered.

Another harsh look and this time much less politely, Ignus said, "Then we'll just have to make sure he has someone else to stay won't we? We can put him elsewhere. Once we have a king, we will worry about that." He looked back to Rin, "That's the end of my report."

Tokiomi was taken aback. He had only been overseeing the reconstruction of the city, and watching from afar, but his daughter was constructing and doing much under his nose. He felt a well of anger brimming in him, but after noticing the entire table look to him with eyes of distain and distrust, he felt alone and cornered. Lancer might have been the only thing that was left on his side. Even then, he felt an uneasy hollowness in the thought. He turned, and sure enough, she was hardly even paying attention to his plight. She was his servant! No one else's!

"Come Lancer," He stood up and retreated through the door partway, "We have much to do. Leave these children to their work. We shall see how the reconstruction of the town is going with our own eyes."

"I think not sir." She said plainly, holding her position and keeping her eyes forward.

"You dare defy me as well?" He came back through the door and stared at her. "I could sever your link to me without qualms at all! I don't need you! You need mana to survive!"

"Do what you will sir. I belong to the house. Not to you." She spoke to him with a confidence that he was not ready for. "If you sever the tie there, well, I suppose I won't have a source of mana, but I will manage."

He was furious. He stormed out of the house, and did just that. With incantations and a ritual circle in the dirt, but act was quick and accomplished easily with his power and understanding of binding magics. He felt relief and satisfaction for the first time in quite some time. He stormed off back into town, to observe what all those little children had made of his city.

Lancer stumbled once she felt the jolt of the mana link severing, but caught herself on the wall. "It's done. The coward couldn't even do it in front of me." She said with a smile.

"Good work Lancer. Now that he's gone, he'll most likely go inspect the King's estate first. You put up the wards all around it right Ignus?" Rin said with a wry smile.

Ignus nodded with a similar mischievous grin. "Sure did. It's covered in stuff that'll give him a little trouble at least. The workers won't stop either. He's not paying them. I am."

"Good. Father gave up this city once he told me I could participate in this war. With it over, he has no real power over me or this place any longer. I'll allow him to stay, since he did save Lancer from going back to where she had been, but aside from that, he's done more harm than good." She stood up and walked over to Lancer. "While it isn't a great outcome, I have a request, to you Lancer," She moved her head slowly over to Ignus, "And you."

They both looked a bit puzzled, but allowed her to continue. "I remember most of the ritual that my father performed to bind you to the house, but there was much that stood out to me that could make it… easier. Like binding you to someone. The incantations for the summoning ritual for the Holy War were fairly simple to understand, there is no reason why the magic to bind you to someone would not work now. So… I propose you be bound to Ignus. You've seen him more than capable of action and his craft, and as a master, I think he is the most fit candidate for you. While the loss of Saber is still heavy, for you more than anyone Ignus, I believe Lancer would be able to stay by your side for as long as you have her by your side. She is quite strong, and more than anything, quite a grand companion as we have seen in this past month."

The days flashed by in front of them all. The mages and Paul, as well as the servants were the first to begin rebuilding. As the citizens came back, they came back in droves quicker and quicker as the days went on. They were prepared for the damages, and brought with them craftsmen, or family that new a trade, and began helping rebuild. While Caster was damaged, she could still do much with her potent magic. Infusing water, other beverages, bread, soup and other dishes with a potent energy that put a spark of vigor in those that partook, and drove them to complete projects quickly. Brick and stone, wooden beam and planks laid down one after another. Again and again, they came back for her cooking and service. A smile with each round and a cheerful voice for each plate of food is what she offered, and once the spells were done and she could escape for a bit, she offered those that stayed a display of magical aptitude. She danced when she had the power to, displaying how spells and movements are not just limited to hand motions, and showed how incantations and simple sigils could grow and create amazing things. Flowers from her hand, to vines sprouting from single stick stuck in between a few stones. Fire in the sky and the moving of water to form a snake. The display raised spirits more than the food at times. Reinalt was not a pushover with his magic either. Using his way of changing his body, he could easily cut or change stone and bricks to fairly perfect shapes. He would also participate in the ending day shows with Caster and the others. His were mostly feats of strength through magic, using the things around him to change his body in places. Taking shadows to make his arm pass through himself, or sand and mud to make him shine a stone to sparkle or climb walls and suspend himself between them. A showman and a worker throughout the day, he was an integral part in the moral and the continued reconstruction of the city's structures. Moreover, the duo reconstructed the destroyed sewers and waters of the wells and fountains around Melephast in less than a week with their magic. The disease that spread around in the water was easily counteracted by another spell from Caster, and the stonework and the like was reconstructed with ease as Reinalt molded and shaped his arms to more easily move the stones and put them in their proper places. Sophia helped as best she could without revealing much about her past, letting her simple magics help those around her as best she could. Her servant on the other hand, with her book in hand, wrote runes and spoke unknown words to certain materials to enhance their strength, ward them from rot or breakage, and even gave the new bath house an easier way to keep the waters warm with heated stones that never lost their fire. Each building was given a crest of protection on their keystone of their buildings archways, and each displayed them proudly. No decorations covered them and no one thought ill of it. Their buildings all showed the rune atop the stone brilliantly. Last of the masters was Ignus, who's healing was far and above more effective than any of the other mages. With a simple touch and a quiet word, even fractured or broken bones healed in less than a few hours. Some rest was still needed, but after each accident, every injured person was treated without fail. None were hurt at the end of the day, and all were back on their feet the following morning, ready for work. His instruction to others while he worked his magic on the graveyard trees and the upturned earth and to the religious sites was easy for the workers to understand and follow.

However, from all the servants, none worked harder than Lancer. While in the first reconstruction phases, she cleared more rubble and earth than any other, a smile on her face as she rolled or moved rocks with even the hardiest of strongmen around her. As the day grew on, she handed out food and beverages to everyone she could, resting only once everyone else was fed and happy. Each brick she moved and places, she did swiftly, and each stone she moved into place was with care, no matter how quick it was. With everyone's efforts, the town was back to its feet mostly in a month, but if it wasn't for Lancer doing as much as she had, the time would have almost doubled. Her efforts couldn't be seen throughout the work, but they all knew if it wasn't for her, none of this would have been completed as fast.

"Lancer, if you are alright with this, we can get the ritual started immediately. I don't think that silly name change stuff needs to happen again. Ignus will be your new master, and I'm sure he would be delighted to have a friend by his side once again. Well… another friend." Rin said with a smile, as Ignus looked over to Lancer and did the same.

Lancer nodded with a sigh, and moved over to him. She looked away for a moment, but found her resolve once more. "I hope to be as good of a companion as Saber was to you, Ignus Champion." She said with a low bow.

He nodded and smiled once she came back up. "Saber would have liked to hear that I think. Let's get along as best we can Lancer."

The binding ritual was underway swiftly after, and a few spoken words, a sufficient offering for the power of the ritual, and the two bound people, the ritual was done, much quicker than the last one as well. "Hmph. Take that Father." Rin said confidently. Lancer seemed lively once more, and filled with more energy than ever before. With the ritual done and out of the way, they had but a few more hours of daylight before the work of the city was done. They all left in high spirits and made their way into town.

Archer held Rin back a moment before they left, asking her for some privacy from the others. They all left to go to their areas as quickly as they could as RIn said her and Archer would catch up to them.

"While I am enjoying our time together RIn, I have… a few questions I want answered." Archer said, once they were alone.

The air felt thick as the question was held in his breath. He stared into her eyes, watching how she reacted to the atmosphere he was feeling as well. His voice felt steady, but wavered but a moment at the beginning of the sentence, "Am I to go back? Or am I to stay here?"

The question had never crossed her mind before. Archer was there, and that was that. He wasn't leaving, and he had no desire to leave. _Right?_ She hadn't even considered what he wanted… what he really wanted. She had thought he was going to stay as long as he could. The summoning that happened before the war bound them together. But… since the war ended, the magic was supposed to negate the summon, or send them back, or something, from what Rin understood. Maybe since they stopped that… thing… the cycle of such a thing was broken? Could that mean the servants were stuck here? Or perhaps they could be sent back? The idea of it scared her a bit. What if the magic was still active? Did they just… delay the inevitable? That thing would come back and wreak havoc on the world again? How long did they have? They need to train as soon as possible. Once this reconstruction is complete… _We have to train._ She looked up from her thoughts and saw Archer staring at her. "The other servants have talked Rin, and many of them are staying… They have no calling to go back to… and neither do I." He looked down at his hands, and fiddled with them a moment. "Light… Trapper… my entire people are gone. I was alone in that darkness of a world… waiting to find more death and destruction around me or wait to die. It was not a pleasant existence." His eyes met hers, and with a stern expression, mostly trying to look strong rather than anything else. "Here, in this place, beside you. I feel… better. Far better than back then."

He touched his chest and he spoke, feeling the fire blaze again. Emotions were welling up everywhere. He may have had more questions, but he simply wanted to know what his fate was at the moment. Much uncertainty had hung in his mind once the final battle was over. More questions than answers, and many more questions that couldn't have any answers at all. This one needed an answer however. He wanted to stay. He didn't want to be alone again. This girl in front of him was all he had left, and he couldn't ask for a better person to be with.

 _Please Rin… I have to stay by your side… I have to… protect you… I love you._

His body felt light for the first time in what felt like an eternity. Rin's eyes began to well with tears. "Of course you can stay Archer! I would never dream to send you back to that place you came from… I… I would feel more alone than I ever did before if you left…" She leapt up and went over to him, and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her and let her burry her head in his shoulder. She cried for but a moment, and he shed some tears as well, but once over, she raised herself up, and turned away from him, walking away for a moment. "Alright," She sniffled a bit, before turning her head to him. "We have much to do today. Now with that out of the way, we can get to it!" She smiled.

Archer met her smile with his, and stood up, brushed himself off and moved over to her. "Lead on Master. I'll protect you wherever you go."

"And love me too right?" She said, giving him a wink. He was speechless a moment, then remembered, his thoughts could be heard by her, and hers by him. He looked away but a moment, before he heard, "Well, I feel the same. That's fine isn't it?" He met her smiling face once more, and as she walked out the door, he followed close behind. They met the midday sun with joy in their hearts as they made their way to the city proper, where construction was still taking place. Whatever the future held, they would meet it in stride, and nothing would stand in their way.


	24. Epilogue

As the days grew longer and time passed as quick and slow as before, the city grew and grew. New families moved in as others left to find greener pastures. The mages of the war and their servants worked and worked until Melephast was back to its former glory. Streets bustled once again a year later, celebrating the end of the construction and the anniversary of the war's end. A year later, and a year wiser, the mages stood overlooking the city they had fought in and rebuilt, and heaved a sigh of relief as they all could rest easy for now.

Reinalt was the first to let the sighs come as he flopped onto the ground and look up to the waning sunlight as the bright orb set in the distance. "City's rebuilt; townsfolk came back and have homes; everyone safe; it's time to kick back and rest." Caster kicked her master to raise him back up at least to a seated position, glaring at him a bit. "And now more reason for us to get back to your home Reinalt. There's a lot we need to report."

Reinalt frowned and looked to the ground. He sulked a moment. "Can't we just send another messenger? They'll understand. Wouldn't you rather be here Caster? With everyone else?"

She hesitated for enough of a moment to allow another to speak for her. As she stammered, Rin interjected. "Well, if you leave now, you should be able to get back by tomorrow with Caster's magic… correct?"

Over the course of the year, Rin had gained much in the ways of different magical ways thanks to Caster. She'd learned deadly poison and disease spells and how to counter them, as well as the more practical magic arts such as the rituals Caster had used before and many others. Caster's practical magic was possibly one of her favorites to witness. The sensation of riding the horse, and watching the horse move from afar, were two drastically different feelings. The first, you felt as if you were simply trotting along, not going faster than a brisk walk; whereas the latter, you felt the air jettison itself towards you as it seemed to shoot through the air away from you. Her magic for cooking was also very unique. Simple ingredients that could never taste as good without the magic taste phenomenal with it. It's more filling than most normal foods as well. Just a simple push of magic during certain steps, and the food is imbued. However, you still must continue and finish the cooking process. This might have been the most difficult part for Rin, but she handled it as time went on.

With a slow smile, Reinalt nodded. "You are right. I'll get our things Caster. We'll be back by tomorrow afternoon if not sooner." He stood up and patted his short servants head, as she smiled and gladly accepted the gesture. "That's my master. You get all that lifting down and I'll prepare our horse." With that, the two departed, as the crew of mages made their way through the city to the fountain to partake in the festivities. Stalls of all kinds lined the streets, with a myriad of people moving in and out of their own groups. In the center, around the fountain, a band played nearly constantly, switching out members once one needed breaks. Song after song, they carried their notes through the uproar of everyone in the festival, and seemingly the charge the night with a kind of energy that drove others to continue their evening of fun and wonder. Dancers moved close to the band and made room for their spectacle, while lines formed for stalls where games, objects of fun and need, and food was being sold. The gathering of people had many from the entire country, and merchants from all around made their way here to sell all they could.

Archer and Rin stayed close to one another, with the other mages ahead of them. "It's been… a while since you were summoned Archer." Rin said, staring to the ground as they made their way up to the Old King's estate, now known as The University, a place for all to learn any number of trades, arts, or even magic. They turned around to overlook the festival, and Rin gave a hearty sigh. "This has been quite the year…" Archer nodded, and crossed his arms, looking down to her for a moment. "Yes it has. Quite a lot has happened since the war."

A silence that only they knew hung in the air. The sounds of nature around them, the music, the low murmur of the festival, but only they stood there atop the hill, listening to only their words. "Do you have any regrets?" Archer asked her.

The question came out of nowhere, but Rin was surprisingly quick to answer. "I wish I had summoned you sooner. I waited until the last minute practically to summon you initially," She smiled, "Maybe Father wouldn't have done what he did if that were the case."

Archer nodded, and asked if there was anything else. This gave Rin pause. "Any other regrets?" She waited a moment as she thought, but continued her answer. "The same… If I had summoned you sooner, maybe we could have figured out more about your past sooner. And maybe we could have gotten some kind of answer. But…" She moved closer to him. "While that's all in the past, we should think about the present, and the future. There's a lot on the horizon, and as long as you are here…" She hesitated, but instilled a resolve in herself as she continued, "As… As long as you are here, I'll be able… we'll be able to do anything."

Archer rested his hands around her body as she fell into him for an embrace that felt as if it lasted for an eternity. The soft warm feeling in their chests flared, and ran through their entire bodies. The feeling was so intense they felt like they would break into a sweat at any moment. Archer spoke first, and smiled as he did. "Whatever is ahead of us, we will meet it in stride, and face it head on... Master." Rin squeezed tighter, and nodded, as the festival continued with its joyous sounds and wonderful atmosphere.

Sophia and Assassin sat on a bench with Lancer and Ignus, all but Assassin exhausted from the festivities. Many were going home and packing up their things as the festival was coming to a close. "How the hell are you not tired?" Lancer said, resting her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands. Assassin looked over to her, a candied apple in her hand and a mask that covered her eyes and nose with a beautiful pattern of a design. "What do you mean? Look at all this stuff! How could YOU guys be tired? There's so much to do!"

Sophia rocked over and rested on Assassin's shoulder. A little tear rolled down the side of her face as she smiled, looking at everyone leaving, heading home, or packing up their things, "This… was some of the most fun times I've ever had." Ignus leaned forward to see them all. "Me too… Every party or event I ever went to, I was surrounded by guards and ordered to talk to people. I've never been… to a festival like this before." He gave them all a smile. "I'm very glad I get to stay here with you all."

With the completion of the University, mages, craftsmen, and artisans from around the country were asked to be instructors. All but a handful declined, and even those that agreed said they would only show up intermittently. So what else was there to do but do it themselves? Rin gave classes over Gemcraft and basics of rituals, as well as a handful of basic skills they all though necessary, while Archer taught tanning, leatherwork, and how to make basic tools and weapons. Reinalt taught infusion and basic combat for self-defense, as well as stoneworking and farming in harsh environments, while Caster taught her own form a magic which many of the students had dubbed 'witchery' due to its focus on blessings, curses, and practicality such as plant growth, prolonging life of ingredients, potions, and how to make food taste better. Lancer taught more advanced combat, etiquette and hospitality, and tactics, while Ignus focused mostly on swift casting of magics and healing magics. He also focused on the somatic and verbal components of magic, and ways to get around them. Sophia taught agriculture, many refined arts classes like sculpting, painting, and woodworking with Archer, as well as innate magic that could be cast without much in the ways of somatic or verbal components. Assassin taught rune magic, as well as words of power that could be used with great effect to strengthen or cause events to transpire. They practically lived at the University, but stayed in the estate with Rin and Archer usually. Over the year, many had come and stayed to complete their terms, and many had gained adequate skills to make a living off of it. But more and more people kept flooding in. There was much to do. But above all else, they still had one another. Through all the hardship of the war and the reconstruction of the city, they had stuck together and continued to. And it was all for the sake of one thing that was held in the back of their mind.

 _If they come back… we will be ready._

They wanted to better their world, but that was the true reason for it all. Leysritt, and her master, must never do what they did again. It would destroy the world and everything they know. That could never happen, and they were creating the things they needed to insure that it never did.

Lancer flicked the end of Ignus' nose, knocking him out of his focused look. "Hey. Go back to cheering up. We are all out here with friends. No reason to focus on all the bad." She gave him a smile that calmed his spirit and his mind. She always seems to know when to help me most. "Thank you Lancer. You are right."

"THE NIGHT'S STILL YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS!" Assassin said, raising the apple to the sky and she downed a glass of some alcoholic beverage before putting it down in her seat. "Let's get going! Lot's to do before everything completely shuts down!" Sophia stood up and hugged her servant, turning to the others. "Come on! We don't have much time left!"

The other two stretched with a sigh and followed, going back into what remained of the festive night.

* * *

"The day was saved by the mages and their servants, and much was learned between them of their strengths and weaknesses, and the plot of the great evil was foiled." The voice was somewhat harsh, and felt strained. Looking down on everything below, Leysritt was held in the darkness, her body badly broken and still in pain from the fight with Archer. "I was careless master. My anger got the better of me and he… used strange tactics… It won't… It won't…" She was struggling. After the entire year, her body had regained its form, but much was still needed for her magic to return to her. Her master was gone, in the same way she had been. His presence was always with her however. It was only a matter of time until they were both ready to return and try once again to enact their plan.

"Another thousand years or so you say? Much shorter than last time… I must… be getting better…" She smiled as the shadowy darkness stitched and created bone and muscle to her arms and legs in a gruelingly slow and painful manner.

 _All for master. All for master._

It was only a matter of time for them… and they would be back. For now, they would rest and remain in their darkness… awaiting for the moment when the Holy War could commence anew.


End file.
